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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27520096">Double-Trouble in Trouble</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bagge/pseuds/Bagge'>Bagge</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fun &amp; Flirting with Glimmer and Double Trouble [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Dates, Other, Romance, Second Date, fifth date, fourth date, sparks will fly, third date</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 05:15:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,424</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27520096</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bagge/pseuds/Bagge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Of all the fine people in this world, Double Trouble had to fall for the one that sparkles.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Double Trouble/Glimmer (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fun &amp; Flirting with Glimmer and Double Trouble [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101665</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. First date - a seedy part of town</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Copyrigt belong to the copyright-holders of She-Ra.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A seedy tavern full of seedy people looking for seedy dalliances in a seedy part of town.</p><p>Not the place for a romantic date, but then, that was not exactly what Glimmer had in mind.</p><p>Still, she stuck out like a sore thumb, pretty and pink, sitting all alone by a table for two. The table was as out of place as she, with fine cutlery and dainty little dishes and even a candelabra with flaming candles. There were a circle formed around the table, as the usual patrons of the establishment tried to work out what she was and what to do about her.</p><p>Anyone looking like that, in a place like this, would sure be looking for trouble</p><p>"What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this all alone?" The ruffian stank of sweat and stale beer. He placed a hand large as a wagon wheel on Glimmer's arm... and promptly disappeared.</p><p>A moment later, Glimmer teleported back. Without any visual signs of being in a hurry she picked up a dainty little purse and counted out a number of coins. She caught the eyes of the barman.</p><p>"Could I please pay that gentleman's tab, seeing as he will not be in a position to do so himself?"</p><p>The circle around the table was suddenly a lot more silent and a lot more polite.</p><p>Eventually a man carefully walk up to the table, hat in hand, stopping a full meter away from the pink girl.</p><p>"Ummmmm... madam... if I may be so bold... meaning no disrespect... I wonder if you might be so inclined to tell us where our... associate went?"</p><p>"Somewhere nice, I'm sure."</p><p>"Eh... and... will he be back... eventually?"</p><p>"I would not count on that, no."</p><p>"...apologies for bothering you."</p><p>The girl was left alone after that, sipping sparkling wine from a small glass, by all appearances taking no head of the whispering crowd around her.</p><p>A waiter filled her glass and gave her a sympathetic look.</p><p>"Stood up, darling?"</p><p>"It would seem that way."</p><p>"Shame. A pretty girl like you deserves better."</p><p>"One could say I got exactly what I deserved."</p><p>"Why would you say that?"</p><p>"Because saying otherwise would imply that I didn't know what I was in for. But you have never exactly been shy about what you are, have you, Double-Trouble?" The waiter laughed.</p><p>"Not at all, but so many people still seem to be surprised when they find out."</p><p>"If the empty chair bothers you, why don't you sit down and keep me company instead of playing silly games?"</p><p>"One out of two, darling, one out of two." The waiter slid down on the chair, and as they did their features changed. Arms became longer, ears more pointy. Fine fur grew out all over their body. Glimmer found herself looking into the smirking face of Catra.</p><p>"Now, princess. Why would you ask someone like me for a date. Is it the danger you are after? Things must be awfully boring after the war."</p><p>"One keeps busy... What about yourself? Hard do play sides against each other now?"</p><p>'Catra' laughed. Glimmer had to admire the performance. Voice, intonation, movements... everything was spot on.</p><p>"My dear, there are always sides. Without a big bad warlord to fear everyone is looking for an edge. I will never run out of games."</p><p>"Oh, and that's why you came? I'm a game to you?" 'Catra' smirked.</p><p>"One of the most fun I've had in years.... oh, sweetie. Did you hope to hear something else? Did I hurt your feelings?"</p><p>"Not at all. You seemed very pleased with yourself when we took down the Horde together. I hoped you would be up for a little reunion."</p><p>"Oh? So this is another job then? You have the need for a spy? Everything not fine and dandy in the princess alliance once the big bad man from space is gone?"</p><p>The features of Catra morphed again, and now the tiny little sprite Flutterina sat on the chair opposite of Glimmer, playfully dangling with her legs.</p><p>"Can I come out and play again, Glimmer? I <i>promise</i> to be good this time."</p><p>"No, nothing like that. I asked you for a date, not a mission." Glimmer gave the pixie a quizzical look. "Does that never happen? People never ask you for a thing and actually mean it?"</p><p>'Flutterina' looked taken aback for a moment, and then 'her' eyes filled up with tears.</p><p>"Never... everyone always lies... everyone always think there is a con, or a game. Why can't they just be honest? Maybe with you it can be di..different."</p><p>"You are thinking about children falling, aren't you?"</p><p>"Bra-vo!" Double Trouble said in their normal voice and abruptly stopped crying. "You pay attention, I like that. You could be a decent actor if you gave it a chance."</p><p>"I never really saw a reason to be someone else."</p><p>"Ooooh, don't knock it, cutie-pie. You could be anyone. Is that why you wanted to see me? <i>I</i> could be anyone.... so who would you want me to be?" Flutterina's features melted and changed into someone taller, blonder, more athletic.</p><p>"Would She-Ra do it for you? Want to... polish my sword, baby?"</p><p>"Ugh, you're off your game if that's your best Adora impression. And no, I didn't ask you here for you to be her. I asked you here to be you. Is that really such a hard concept to grasp?"</p><p>"In my experience, people generally ask for something other than what they really want."</p><p>"Oh, and what is it you want, then?" a slight hesitation, and She-Ra's features melted into Adora's. 'She' bent forward and took Glimmer's hands.</p><p>"I just want there to be someone for me. Someone who understands me, someone who is brave and loyal and has risked her life for me countless of times... but now when she's left you for that scoundrel of a cat, all you have left is an empty bed and an empty heart... Is this Adora impression more to your satisfaction, princess?"</p><p>"Much better, yes. Is there anything more you want to add about other people to avoid talking about you?"</p><p>"People are fascinating, sugar-top. In fact..." and they changed again, this time to Bow. "...in fact, don't you wish you could befriend everyone? Be the person everyone needs? Wouldn't you wish there was someone like that for you? You deserve happiness too!"</p><p>"Very good. Anyone else."</p><p>"...but that's not really what you want, is it? No, you want the danger. The excitement. Just a little bit of darkness. That's why you asked to see me. That's why you asked to see me here. You are used to the best, and so that's what you are looking for. Someone with refinement. Someone with elegance. Someone who can stand their own ground. Someone who challenges you. Someone with that shard of evil in their heart a pretty little princess like yourself can't afford to show. In fact, someone like..." this time, Double-Trouble became taller, leaner, older and sprouted dark hair and a beard.</p><p>"Really? Daddy issues?"</p><p>"Nothing to be ashamed of, pumpkin. Everyone has parents and everyone has issues about them. And you have to admit, your dear father is a handsome devil. Your mother made an excellent choice. Why shouldn't you look to her for guidance?"</p><p>"One could say I have enough darkness in my heart to go around."</p><p>"Ple-ease! One little flirt with evil and you think you are darkness incarnated. You are still a little goody-two-shoe, cupcake, whatever you might think of yourself."</p><p>"Maybe it's time for another then? Another little flirt with evil. That's how you see yourself, isn't it?"</p><p>"Ooooh, is it my turn now? Is this the part where you try to figure out what makes me tick?" Double-Trouble changed again. This time into themselves.</p><p>"Six faces before you show me your own... why so coy?"</p><p>"Perhaps I'm afraid to let you in and reveal my true self to you. Perhaps I try to hide my emotions"</p><p>"Why would you ever be afraid of me?" Glimmer bent forward and caught Double-Trouble's eyes "What do you think I will do to you?... No, hold that thought. I <i>might</i>. I haven't decided yet."</p><p>Those who didn't know Double-Trouble for the cold-hearted, unflappable bastard they were, might have mistakenly thought they could see a blush on their face, ever so briefly before they caught themselves and regained their sardonic, aloof expression. Glimmer leaned back with a smirk filled with satisfaction.</p><p>"No, you don't try to hide your emotions. You are exactly the self-centered trouble-maker you seem to be, and there is nothing wrong with that. I think a little goody-two-shoe is exactly what you want. Wouldn't it be <i>fun</i> to corrupt me?"</p><p>"You <i>do</i> get me."</p><p>"See, that's not so scary, is it?"</p><p>"...only, you do understand that this is just another act, don't you? Just me being what you expect me to be? Bra-vo, princess. You solved the puzzle. I am your prize."</p><p>"No, but I do think that's what you wanted from <i>me</i>."</p><p>"Intriguing. So that's why you asked me to meet you here of all places."</p><p>"You do like the contrasts, don't you? Fancy date and seedy place. Fancy girl," she modestly pointed at herself "...and charming rogue. Have you figured out what it means yet?"</p><p>"It's a show of force, obviously. You can pull it off. You walk into this place like you own it and play by your rules rather than theirs. Someone like Catra," briefly Double-Trouble's ears grew pointy again "...would think you have to act like a two-bit bully to have it your way, but people with real power know that all you need to do is to be yourself... and make sure they can't stop you from it."</p><p>"Perceptive! Is that what you are afraid of? Would it stop you to be yourself if you were to get to close to me? Would I hamper your style?"</p><p>"What makes you think you could?"</p><p>"I tripped you when you spied on me as Flutterina, didn't I? I made you switch sides. I made this date interesting enough for you show up. I knew you would be intrigued, and it worked!"</p><p>"So much for asking me not to play games"</p><p>"As if you ever would stop. As if I would ever ask you to and mean it." Glimmer chuckled softly. "You still don't get it, do you? I don't want you to be something you are not. I want <i>you</i>. Because that's who you are. I asked you here because I knew you'd like to see how I would take to a place like this. I knew you would make it a challenge and I played your silly little game because I knew you would enjoy it. <i>I</i> enjoy it. I told you, I know what I'm in for. I still want it."</p><p>"Well then, if you have me figured out so much, what do you want from me, princess?" Their eyes met. The challenge was almost tangible.</p><p>"I want to hear you say it. I want you to tell me who is the real Double-Trouble."</p><p>The silence only lasted a microsecond longer than usual, but both of them noticed. Double-Trouble quickly recovered</p><p>"Why don't you tell me what <i>you</i> think, princess?"</p><p>Glimmer smiled, a self-confident smile and stood up.</p><p>"I think you are someone who likes a challenge - and someone who will challenge me. I think you are someone who likes to be on edge, and will put me there. Someone who will make my life complicated in ways I never could dream of, but someone who will never, ever be boring. Someone with an evil streak, but also an amount of honesty and integrity that can be refreshing. I think you are someone who will be completely infuriating, play a lot of silly mind games and take a <i>lot</i> of work, but... maybe, just maybe might be worth it." She bent forward and gave Double-Trouble a little peck on the cheek. The sudden gesture of intimacy caught the changeling off guard and made them blink... just for a moment. When they opened their eyes they were somewhere else.</p><p>"I also think you are someone who has earned themselves a second date... IF you manage to find yourself back in Bright Moon to pick me up by sundown tomorrow. Oh, and it's <i>queen</i> Glimmer. Tah!" and with that, Glimmer blew Double-Trouble a kiss and teleported away.</p><p>Double Trouble slowly lifted a delicate hand to the spot on their cheek where Glimmer's lips had touched. Chuckling slightly they looked around to figure out where the queen had taken them. This was going to be fun.</p><p> </p><p>(Oh, and the man Glimmer teleported out of the tavern spent the night in a nice spa/restaurant/hotel in Plumeria and was teleported back the next morning, so he was all right too.)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Second Date - the Fright Zone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Glimmer and Double-Trouble go on their second date. This time it is Double-Trouble's turn to pick the venue.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last rays of the sun filtered down through wispy clouds. Lazy waves hit the shore. Queen Glimmer of Bright Moon sat alone on a stone bench by the walk path. She didn't look up when a passerby sat down next to her. </p><p>"For a moment there I thought you wouldn't make it."</p><p>"Please, give me some credit, princess", Double-Trouble said and shifted back to their own shape. "It was quite the adventure you sent me on. But I knew better than to dally, with you waiting for me in the end of the day. I can't wait to see what you have in store next."</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>"Nothing?"</p><p>"I chose the venue for our first date, remember? It's only fair if you do the next."</p><p>"You have me scramble all over Etheria to get back here in time, you expect me to organize a date with zero seconds of warning, and you call it 'fair'?" Glimmer gave Double-Trouble a sweet smile.</p><p>"Oh no, it's <i>incredibly</i> unfair, which is why I look forward to see how you will weasel yourself out of this one."</p><p>"You really enjoy this, don't you?"</p><p>"For the life of me I can't understand why you have such a hard time to get to grips with that. Yes, I enjoy this. Now show me how quick you can think on your feet. Clock is ticking, the date has started. Impress me, already."</p><p>Double-Trouble's eyes glittered - they truly did - and they bowed deep.</p><p>"Your wish is my command, my queen."</p><p>They held out their arm, and Glimmer graciously put her hand on it. Double-Trouble gave her an expectant smile.</p><p>"Well..?"</p><p>"Might I be so bold to ask you to take us away from all this."</p><p>"You might indeed! Where to?"</p><p>"The Fright Zone."</p><p>"Fright Zone?"</p><p>"Did I stutter?"</p><p>"Consider me intrigued!"</p><p>With a gentle 'pooof' they disappeared. </p><p>- - - </p><p>"Will there be music?"</p><p>"The finast tunes known to Etheria."</p><p>"Dancing?"</p><p>"For as long your feet can carry you."</p><p>"And as for food...?"</p><p>"Prepare yourself for the dining experience of a lifetime, my queen."</p><p>"So the fact that we are currently crawling along a rusty drain full of slime and rats is not to be seen as an indication of how the rest of the date will unfold?"</p><p>"Where is your sense of adventure?"</p><p>"Please, like this is the first time I sneak around a slime drain in the Fright Zone with a pretty little someone. If you wanted to knock me out of my comfort zone you are way off. This is more like sweet nostalgia."</p><p>"Maybe that's what I was going for, then."</p><p>"Nice save."</p><p>"Thank  you, I'm pretty happy with it myself."</p><p>"But seriously, where are we going?"</p><p>"What? Spoiling the surprise already? I really expected more of you."</p><p>"More like stopping you from walking us in circles for an hour because you are too stubborn to admit that you blew your initiative on shock value and couldn't follow up. It's OK, I get it. Not everyone can handle being put on the spot like that."</p><p>"Princess! Please! I'm a spy, an infiltrator. <i>The</i> infiltrator. 'The spot' is where i thrive."</p><p>"Suuuuuuuuure it is."</p><p>"Just what is that supposed to mean."</p><p>"You're holding all the cards, all the time. You always have another face, another button to push, another way out. You don't improvise, you engage fallback plans. Believe me, as someone who has had to think on her feet in some pretty tight spots, there's a difference."</p><p>"Pah, you really underestimate m..." </p><p>Without any warning whatsoever something large and chitinous slithered towards them in high speed from the gloom. Double-Trouble yelped and pressed themselves to the rough concrete wall, melting into the background to become nearly invisible. Glimmer stayed in the middle of the corridor with a bemused smile. When the beast was nearly upon her, it disappeared without a trace.</p><p>"I'm getting much better at illusions these days, don't you think." Double-Trouble melted back into visibility, still panting hard.</p><p>"You are mean, lady."</p><p>"Oh, did the nasty princess scare the poor little helpless master spy? I'm so sorry I hurt your wee feelings... And now you see what I mean. If you ever are truly put on the spot, all you have to do is a quick 'wardrobe change' and you are out. That's not how it is for most people."</p><p>"No, but that is how it is for you."</p><p>"Heh, nice turnaround. By all means, let me have it, let me hear how aloof and removed I am from my people."</p><p>"That's not... exactly what I was going for. That's a thread you might want to explore on your own."</p><p>"Curious of what exploration I might do on my own, are you?" </p><p>"<i>Princess</i>, no need to be crude, even if I hit a nerve. What I ment was that you can poof out of danger just as easily as I can sneak out. Easier. You at least don't need a hiding place and a plausible alter ego."</p><p>"So what you're saying is that you and me are alike. Two wayward souls united by a shared experience?"</p><p>"You really are a romantic, aren't you?"</p><p>"Yes. I take great pride in it. And so are you, if I'm not mistaken. Under all that cynicism. Otherwise, why else all that love for the dramatic?"</p><p>"Enjoying something and believing in something are two different things."</p><p>Glimmer looked pensive.</p><p>"I always believed in working for the world to be a place to enjoy. That's why I fought the horde in the first place."</p><p>"And you call me dramatic? You aspire to change the entire world. All I do is to refuse for it to change me. Much more manageable." </p><p>"I never looked at it like that.... never really looked at it in terms of a choice, really."</p><p>"You have spent too much time around Adora." Double Trouble briefly changed their features. The hair-poof scraped against the low ceiling and got slime in it.</p><p>"I have to save the world ten times before breakfast because that's my sworn duty and no one else can do it." Glimmer laughed.</p><p>"Well, I <i>am</i> a magical princess with unmatched political and juridical powers as well as heraldry connection to the artifacts that make this planet function and that has been a beacon of hope for generations..." Double-Trouble snorted and changed back to themselves.</p><p>"Pish-posh. You don't 'have to' anything. I got my awesome face-morphing powers from my dear mama, and I use them for my own gain and entertainment. Scorpia had the same lump of rock around her neck as you, and she ignored it forever." Glimmer looked immensely guilty, but for once Double-Trouble didn't pick up on it, but went on. "Catra had no lineage, no powers, no responsibility, no 'destiny', and she took over the horde, did more to conquer Etheria than Hordak ever did and came even closer to destroy the world than you." </p><p>"I'm not sure Catra is the best example..."</p><p>"No? No one told her that she 'had to do it'. She wanted to do it, and she did. You have the same choice. You always had."</p><p>"This really bothers you, doesn't it?"</p><p>"<i>Yes!</i> Oh, congratulations, princess. You managed to needle me into admitting something about myself. I hope you are happy. But nothing drives up the wall as much as all you tragic wanna-be-heroes blaming 'destiny' for your own choices. No one has to do shit. Not the people who fought for Hordak, not the people who stood by to get slaughtered by him, not your band of merry adventures rushing from one disaster to the next and not you, oh magical princess."</p><p>"Well, Adora was the chosen o..."</p><p>"Her destiny was to be the key in that stupid machine the first one built, and she refused. Good for her. Do you know who is the one sane princess of all your colorful bunch?"</p><p>"I have a sneaking suspicion it won't be me."</p><p>"Obviously it's not you. You are here with me, aren't you. No, it's that purple-haired geek from Dryl. She knew what she wanted, she went to the side that offered it to her. She didn't switch back until you goody two-shoes got it into your head to give her what she actually wanted rather than platitudes of what she should do. She never bemoaned her tragic fate or crushing responsibility. She knew what she wanted and she took it. Bravo to her. If more of you had been like this, things would have been much less grim around here the last few years."</p><p>"One might say that it was because of us not giving up things didn't get <i>more</i> grim." Double-Trouble gave her a disgusted look and abruptly changed again, black hair boiling out from behind a red mask</p><p>"Yes, you are perfectly right. Only by you selected few holding onto and gaining more personal power can the bad things be stopped. How strange that no one thought of that justification before." Glimmer took a step back and held up her hands.</p><p>"All right, all right, I'm sorry. I yield! Please just take her away." Shadow-Weaver's form disappeared, and it was only Double-Trouble again, looking at Glimmer with what might in a certain light be seen as concern.</p><p>"Too much?"</p><p>"A bit... yeah. Sorry."</p><p>"Still a sore spot, then?"</p><p>"Yeah, something like that... No harm, I'll be fine. And I do see your point."</p><p>"Do you, now?"</p><p>"Yes. We all have choices. We all have different paths we can take. Me, I have not always made the smartest choice... I've made some pretty horrible mistakes... but they were mine. I didn't have to make them, I wasn't forced. I could have done something else."</p><p>"I liked where you started, but now you are getting awfully close to lamenting your crushing responsibility again."</p><p>"No... well, yes, but my point is that... I chose what I did. I chose to fight, I chose to lead, I chose to try to end the war all by myself with some clever ploys."</p><p>"I rather liked that part."</p><p>"I know you did. But I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do. I did it because I could make a difference. I did it because I DO have all these awesome powers, and a lot of people don't. People looked to me to do my best, and so I did. I had the choice to fight the horde, to save the world, to be there for my friends, to rebuild the princess alliance, and so i did. It's been the worst years of my life and the best years of my life. If I could go back and do the same all over again, I would."</p><p>"Good for you, and a great deal removed from 'I did what I had to do.' But you missed my main point."</p><p>"And what was that?"</p><p>"That you could just leave. Poof away one day and never come back. Hit the road, settle down in a cozy little cottage by the sea, take up piracy with that lunatic friend of yours who always burns his ships. You always had the choice to leave. You still do." Glimmer looked down at the moldy floor</p><p>"That came dangerously close to you asking me to run away with you, Double-Trouble." The changeling took a step forward and took her hand.</p><p>"And what if I did?" </p><p>Glimmer bit her lip.</p><p>"Well, what if the road is tedious, the cottage has a leaky roof, Sea Hawk burns the ship or we grow tired of each other?"</p><p>"You could always leave."</p><p>The silence lasted a moment.</p><p>And then another.</p><p>Then Glimmer bent forward and kissed Double-Trouble. A slow, gentle kiss. They withdrew and looked each other in the eyes. Neither entirely sure what to say next.</p><p>"I..."</p><p>"Yeah..."</p><p>"I... <i>could</i> do that. I might even <i>want</i> to do that... I..."</p><p>"No, no, I get it. The Queen of Bright Moon does not just hit the road one day, does she?"</p><p> "...Maybe not. But then again, maybe. It's all up to me, isn't it?"</p><p>"Glad you are getting that."</p><p>"And I promise you, if I do, it will be because I chose to. If I go with you it will be because I chose <i>you</i>."</p><p>They walked in silence for a little while, neither commenting on the fact that they now held hands.</p><p>"So, tell me more about your dear mama."</p><p>"You wish, sugarplumb."</p><p>A clanking sound was heard. As they entered the next room, an old spherical war bot could be found digging in a corner. </p><p>"Nicely done, princess. But don't you worry about that act getting a bit overplayed?"</p><p>"That one is real. Scorpia tries to shut down all the old bots but the Fright Zone is big and some of them have gone feral." </p><p>"Oooooh, so now we face mortal danger for real?! Exciting. Truly gets my blood boiling."</p><p>"No need to worry. It hasn't spotted us yet. I could teleport us up to the ledge and then..."</p><p>"Ah, no that won't do. No teleporting."</p><p>"No teleporting?"</p><p>"Those are the rules. I would say that I don't make them except that I totally do."</p><p>"Since when does this date has rules?"</p><p>"Since you agreed to them, obviously, or until you figure out a way to weasel yourself out of them. Let's see how quick <i>you</i> can think on your feet, my queen..... HELLO! OVER HERE, TIN CAN" </p><p>As the bot abruptly turned around and started to move towards them, Double-Trouble melted into the background and slunk away with a mocking laughter. Glimmer glared at them and prepared a ball of power in her fist. Double-Trouble's voice echoed from wherever they had hidden.</p><p>"Ah! Did I forget to tell you? No sparkles either." </p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Those are the rules. In fact, no magic or weird princess powers at all. Impress me!"</p><p>And then the bot was upon her. Glimmer dispersed the power she had gathered, jumped to the side and ran down the corridor to gain some distance from the bot. It took it a little while to sort out its legs, but then it followed. Quickly.</p><p>Glimmer ran to the side and managed to get past the bot, gaining a few moments as it turned. She picked up a rock and threw it, but it bounced harmlessly on the hard shell of the bot.</p><p>"You are my hero, Glimmer," Double-Trouble said from safety up the ledge. They had taken Flutterina's form again. Glimmer desperately looked around for options. A metal pipe was partly dislodged from the wall. Maybe...</p><p>"A little help?" she cried. </p><p>"I <i>am</i> helping. I'm cheering you on!" 'Flutterina' did a little twirl. "G-L-I-M-M-E-R - GLIMMER!"</p><p>"Thanks a ton." </p><p>Glimmer feinted left and managed to get past the bot. She tugged in the pipe and found it stuck. She had to spend a luxurious five seconds just breathing - cursing how out of shape teleportation and queenhood had made her - and then the bot charged again. She started to run right towards it, and as she did the air around her hand shimmered and formed into her mage staff.</p><p>"Hey, that's cheating," Double-Trouble protested. Glimmer ignored them and, using both hands pushed down hard with the staff, gaining enough leverage to jump over the bot. As she sailed through the air the staff disappeared. </p><p>"Ooooooooh!" Double-Trouble cried in Flutterina's voice.</p><p>The bot crashed into the wall, and the dislodged metal pipe clanged to the ground. Glimmer quickly snatched it up and, before the bot managed to sort itself out inserted it between the joints of one of its legs. She pulled with all her might and managed to disjoint the leg before the bot could get to her. She jumped away, and as the bot limped after her she regained her footing and fell upon it again. </p><p>Glimmer handled the pipe like a quarter staff, twirling it in both hands, finding its balance and when the bot was in range she rapped it three times in quick succession before she fell back, aiming for the sensors.</p><p>"Go Glimmer, Go Glimmer, Go Glimmer!" 'Flutterina' cried.</p><p>"I've got it," Glimmer panted as the partially blinded bot lumbered forward again. 'Flutterina' gave her an impish smile.</p><p>"Do you, now? Then I suppose you'll have no difficulty to save a poor child in distress...." 'she' slid down from the ledge and landed right in front of the bot.</p><p>"Help, help, Glimmer, save me."</p><p>"<i>WHAT</i>"</p><p>Glimmer rushed forward and rapped the bot on the legs on one side, causing it to turn to her rather than the shape-shifter. She sprinted to the other end of the room, making sure the bot followed her.</p><p>"You are no real child, you can take care of yourself!"</p><p>"But I won't have to because you will save me. You will always be there for me, my hero!" The last words were uttered in an even more saccharine voice than Double-Trouble's usual Flutterina impression. Glimmer swore as she tried a feint again, but this time the bot was wise to it.</p><p>"Are you always this annoying or is this a special performance just for me?"</p><p>"Every performance is special, darling," Double-Trouble said in their normal voice, then she switched back to Flutterina again. "But I do admit one tries one's best to impress such a <i>fun</i> date as yourself, my Queen."</p><p>"Lucky me," Glimmer muttered and started to run towards the bot, seemingly aiming for another jump. The bot reared up on its hind legs to stop her, and instead of the jump Glimmer rammed the pipe right into a center of cables in the underbelly of the sphere. The bot emitted a rapid series of high pitched sounds and started to move in random, trashing its legs in all directions. Glimmer moved clear and gritted her teeth as she realized 'Flutterina' stood where she left her, watching the approaching bot with large, round eyes.</p><p>"Do you think it will hurt me, Glimmer?"</p><p>"For all the.... JUST RUN BACK TOWARDS THE WALL!""</p><p>"Nu-huh. Poor little Flutterina is too scared to move. You better save her."</p><p>Whatever retort Glimmer would have used next had to wait, because the bots random movement had brought it within legs reach of 'Flutterina'. Glimmer rushed forward, jumped through the arcs of the madly spinning legs without more than a few bruises and a long rip in her dress and managed to snatch 'Flutterina' up before the bot crashed into the spot where 'she' had been standing. </p><p>"I swear, you were never this useless when you pretended to be Flutterina the first time around."</p><p>"Of course not, that time I wanted you to like me."</p><p>Glimmer threw the pixie in a corner - perhaps a tad less gently than she strictly had to - and stood between 'her' and the bot. She took a fighting stance and tried to find an opening between the madly whirling legs when she realized that 'Flutterina' had sneaked out behind her back and approached the bot again.</p><p>"Stupid bot, stupid bot, you can't get me," she sang.</p><p>"DOUBLE-TROUBLE!" she cried, but the changeling had already danced past the bot, causing it to turn. Glimmer blinked when she realized she had just been handed the perfect target, and wasted no time to make short work of it. Soon she had dislodged the major power source, and the bot sank down to the floor with a little hiss. </p><p>'Flutterina' danced up to Glimmer and gave her a big hug.</p><p>"You saved me, my hero!" she cried. "I... I was so scared. Can you sing me a song and then tell me some war secrets?"</p><p>Glimmer panted heavily and was to overwhelmed to form correct sentences, </p><p>"Of all... you must never... I will...."</p><p>In the end she just sank to the floor with 'Flutterina' in her arms, and the panting turned to laughter.</p><p>"That was the most irresponsible, stupid, hair-brained thing I've ever seen, and I've adventured with Bow and Adora for years!" Double-Trouble took their own form again, still in Glimmer's arms.</p><p>"I thought you would like it, princess. Don't ever say I made your date dull."</p><p>"I have called you a lot of things over the years, Double-Trouble. But dull has never been one of them."</p><p>They sat there for a little while, listening to the bot winding down, sharing an embrace neither had any rush to finish. Glimmer gradually got her breathing under control and sat up more properly. Double-Trouble had their head in her lap and she rested her hand on their forehead. It felt nice.</p><p>"Sorry," she said after a while. Double-Trouble looked up at her with a lazy grin.</p><p>"Whatever for?"</p><p>"I... cheated. With the staff." Double-Trouble snorted out a burst laughter.</p><p>"You feel bad for that? You really are a hopeless Goody-Two-Shoe, aren't you?"</p><p>"Yeah... but I figured that since I didn't actually use it for magic, and since I got rid of it after the jump it still sort of count." Double-Trouble kept laughing. Harder this time.</p><p>"You really thought it through?"</p><p>"Well, I didn't want you to be disappointed in me..." Double-Trouble sat up and took Glimmer's hands. </p><p>"Sweetie. Cupcake. Princess. Cutie-pie. Cotton-candy. No. That's not it." Their eyes met.</p><p>"It did not make it OK to break the rules because you only did a little, or because you went on to not break them, or because you had a good justification or because you didn't see any alternatives or because you really wanted to." Glimmer nodded solemnly. Double-Trouble went on.</p><p>"What <i>did</i> make it OK to break the rule was that it was a stupid, arbitrary rule that you had no say in, and that you can break it any time." Glimmer chuckled, just a tad embarrassed. </p><p>"Oh.... I didn't really see it that way."</p><p>"Of course you didn't. Just wait until I tell you that the same is true for <i>all</i> rules."</p><p>"You are a decidedly bad influence, aren't you?"</p><p>"One tries one's best."</p><p>They stood up.</p><p>"Are there any other rules I should know about?"</p><p>"Undoubtedly."</p><p>"And will you tell me about them?"</p><p>"I'm sure I will... At the most inconvenient time possible."</p><p>"I expected nothing less. Well then, lead on!"</p><p>"Follow me, princess."</p><p>They found a staircase and went up a level. They still seemed to be underground, but there were occasional electric lights still functioning, creating pools of light in the gloom. Glimmer walked a bit closer to Double-Trouble.</p><p>"Afraid of the dark, princess?"</p><p>"A bit... I'm used to carry a light with me."</p><p>"There's nothing stopping you from bringing out the sparkles, you know."</p><p>"I know, but I figured it wont hurt me to be a little afraid once in a while."</p><p>"I'm sure it's very healthy"</p><p>"And you will be there to protect me if something <i>truly</i> dangerous happens, won't you?" Double-Trouble laughed.</p><p>"Me protecting you, that would be the day."</p><p>"You did save me from the bot back there."</p><p>"That's not...quite what happened"</p><p>"Oh yes, you did. And very bravely too, I might add. Doesn't it feel good? Those things have a tendency to grow on you. Soon you will save kittens and rescue children to get the same rush."</p><p>"That explain so much about you are your gang." Glimmer laughed and took Double-Trouble's hand again.</p><p>"About that thing I steered away from before..."</p><p>"The bot?"</p><p>"You know what I mean. My powers. About them defining me."</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"They don't, actually."</p><p>"Please, you said it yourself. You are a magical princess. That's not a job description, that's who you are - at least by your own reckoning."</p><p>"Sure, but that's who I <i>am</i>, not what I <i>do</i>."</p><p>"Seems like a rather thin distinction."</p><p>"Not really. I've always been the weak princess. A few poofs, some sparkles, and that's it. At least until my mother died."</p><p>"I suppose inheritance is a bit more literal for magical princesses than for us common folk."</p><p>"You don't know half of it. Anyway, I've always known I can't count of my powers. Not when it really matters. There is always something that takes them away, locks me up, wears me out... except that one time when we accessed the Heart of Etheria"</p><p>"That's when we met, remember!"</p><p>"Vividly... I felt so powerful, like I could take down the Horde by myself... I almost DID. But then, that whole super-weapon-thing happened and Light Hope... I was just a part of her circuit, in the end. If I live a million years I will never be able to apologize to Adora enough for that. She knew. She knew what it meant to just be a cog in a machine, and she tried to stop that from happening to me. But it did happen. I <i>made</i> it happen."</p><p>"Bummer."</p><p>"Yeah... And then Horde Prime took took me away, locked me up.. .I've never been as alone as up there. All I had was Catra.... I don't think she truly understands to what degree she kept me functional. But I also think I never realized until then how much I relied on my connection to the moonstone. I've always felt that gentle tug... I always know the way home, did you know that? I only have to close my eyes and I can point right at my bedroom. But out there I didn't feel it."</p><p>"Ouch. I thought I would touch a nerve, but I didn't imagine it would be anything like this." </p><p>"Sorry... I didn't mean to be a downer."</p><p>"Not at all! You are more than fun and sparkles, Sparkles. Your low points is just as important part of you as your high notes. How could I ever hope to know you if you didn't show them?"</p><p>Double-trouble's features melted away, and they took the very familiar shape of Glimmer herself. Every little detail was perfect, including the smudges on her face and the rips in her clothes.</p><p>"I try to put on a brave face," they said with Glimmer's voice, "because I feel responsible for everyone's happiness. When I see someone who's sad there is always a part of me that thinks it's my fault."</p><p>Glimmer laughed, not entirely hiding a sob. Her eyes grew misty and Double-Trouble immediately adjusted their impersonation. </p><p>"Yeah... yeah, you have me nailed down. I know I wear my heart on my sleeve sometimes, but Perfuma thinks it's healthy."</p><p>"Perfuma thinks <i>moss</i> is healthy. I still won't eat it," Double-Trouble said with Glimmer's voice, and that certain expression of indignation Glimmer knew so well but never had seen from the outside before. She laughed, a bit embarrassed.</p><p>"...I never said 'moss'."</p><p>"But I should have," Double-Trouble said with a passion that made Glimmer laugh, hearing it with her own voice, from what looked like her own mouth. "If she ever feeds me undergrowth again instead of proper food I will say so to her stupid face."</p><p>"OK... I might have wanted to say that."</p><p>"But about power.... it's not complicated. Power equals control, it's as easy as that. The more power you have, the more control you have, the more likely are you to be able to play the situation to your liking, the less likely are you to get hurt."</p><p>"Yeah.... I thought like that for a while... it didn't work out well."</p><p>"Gotta hand it do you, darling, your failures are spectacular. I never nearly blew up the universe."</p><p>"....I still have nightmares about that, thank you very much."</p><p>"You're welcome."</p><p>"Anyway, I found something better than power. Something better than control. Well, rediscovered, more like."</p><p>"I swear, if you say 'the power of friendship' I will..."</p><p>"Trust!"</p><p>"Close enough."</p><p>"Power equals control, but it's brittle, and the more you have the more you crave. Look at Horde Prime. All that power, still choked on it."</p><p>"And trust equals..."</p><p>"Support. Leeway. Resilience. The ability to get up again and try again. The ability not to <i>have</i> to get up again, to have someone there to have your back."</p><p>"Princess, I hope you don't suggest you trust <i>me</i>."</p><p>"Of course not, I don't want to insult you. I don't <i>trust</i> you. I can <i>predict</i> you.... can not!" the last two words were spoken in nearly perfect unison with Double Trouble. Glimmer smirked.</p><p>"I do however feel... comfortable around you. Like I can tell you anything." Double-Trouble opened their eyes wide and made a dramatic gesture.</p><p>"Of course you do, I'm you." They laughed.</p><p>"No, really, princess," Double-Trouble went on in their usual voice (which sounded weird coming from Glimmer's mouth). "That's not strange. I'm... well, not safe. Rather the opposite. But I'm not in your usual social circle. I'm a known liar. You can tell me anything, because whatever I would chose to pass on, no one would believe me. Also, I'm a good listener," they said with pride. "Not the first time it happens."</p><p>"Yeah, might be it," Glimmer admitted. "Or it's a spark that unities us and it will form a bond of trust and love that will only grew stronger with the years." Double trouble rolled their eyes.</p><p>"You were going somewhere with all this?"</p><p>"Yes. Of all the things that are Glimmer, my powers are the least important."</p><p>"Oh. Of course. Kinda wish you had made that particular discovery a bit earlier, I suppose." Glimmer shuddered.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"But I get you. Power is fun, but that's just the icing of the cake. Not the cake itself"</p><p>"I kinda assumed we would not see eye to eye about this."</p><p>"Why? Because I'm gifted with this handsome face?" Double-Trouble smiled lazily and pointed at their imitation of Glimmer's face. For a moment their own eyes flashed by, before taking the shape of Glimmer's purple eyes again.</p><p>"Well, you DO lean pretty heavily on your shape-shifting."</p><p>"Please. Any idiot with a knack for magic can shape-shift, any spy with a bag of false noses can pass as someone else..." As they talked their posture and voice changed subtly. They still had Glimmer's face, but they were just as clearly not Glimmer. </p><p>"I'm an <i>artist</i>" Double-Trouble said in Glimmer's voice and proudly pointed at themselves with a gesture Glimmer was very familiar with, having spent a simply embarrassing amount of time practicing it in front of the mirror as a child because she thought it looked royal.</p><p>"That's not power - that is <i>skill</i>. Practice. Willingness to do what it takes. Willingness to push yourself. Refine your craft. Live the life it leads you to. I'm not the best at what I do because of some fancy tricks. If I did a face and got stuck like this" - again they gestured to Glimmer's face and smiled a smug little smile - "I wouldn't be less of an infiltrator, less of a spy. Sure, I might have to pull some new tricks to compensate, but that wouldn't change <i>me</i>!"</p><p>
 "Wow, I underestimated you."
</p><p>
"People usually do.... in fact, that's rather useful."
</p><p>
"But I get what you are saying. Not the force but the aim. Not the strength but the finesse."
</p><p>
 "Not the power but the skill."
</p><p>
"Or the trust."
</p><p>
"Please...."
</p><p>
"No, it's the same thing. The willingness to do what it takes. The preparedness to live the life your choice takes you. That's what it means to open your heart. To extend trust and allow yourself to be trusted in turn. I can't even to begin to count how many times I would have been killed these last few years if I hadn't trusted a strange horde soldier I found in the woods."
</p><p>
"And that's who you are?"
</p><p>
"Yes! If i can ever help it. I thought I lost that trust once. I never want to be that Glimmer again."
</p><p>"Then you are one step ahead of most people."</p><p>"I knew there was a reason you liked me. Come here!" Double Trouble raised an eyebrow, but obliged and stood before Glimmer. </p><p>For a moment they stood in silence, regarding each other. Then Glimmer slowly raised a hand to touch the changeling's face. Double-Trouble patiently waited while Glimmer gently caressed the features that so perfectly mimicked her own. Then she leaned in for a kiss. Double-Trouble's smirk widened, and it was quite some time before they separated.</p><p>"Thank you," Glimmer said. "I've always wanted to try that."</p><p>"It's a surprisingly common kink, darling."</p><p>"I'm sure it is. Anyway, you are not allowed to do that any more." Double-Trouble's features melted back and they became themselves again.</p><p>"Sorry, princess. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable." They seemed sincere. Glimmer smiled the confident little smile she smiled when she felt she had done something particularly clever.</p><p>"Oh, not at all. I'm flattered you paid attention. It's only that you are not allowed to use your powers any more during this date."</p><p>
    <i>"WHAT!?"</i>
  </p><p>"Sorry, I'd say that I don't make the rules except that I totally do.... shall we go?"</p><p>She held out her arm for Double-Trouble to take. Chuckling slightly they did.</p><p>"You are never boring, are you, Glimmer?"</p><p>"One tries one's best."</p><p>"Now, I kindly must ask you you to be silent."<br/>
"Tired of talk already? To close to real emotions for you?"</p><p>"Mostly I'm worried that the evil cutthroat bandits in the camp just around the corner will hear you."</p><p>"....that seems like something you could have given me a heads up on."</p><p>"I just did, lollipop. The Fright Zone is a dangerous place, now when Hordak is not around to keep it in order. Lots of old soldiers and other... undesirables who find it easier to carve out a place of their own than find a place in the princess alliance. This particular band have found a living robbing passersbyes and other bandits. Being the most ruthless of the local thieves is profitable."</p><p>"And what do they have to do with our date?"</p><p>"We are going to steal from them."</p><p>"Obviously."</p><p>"The prize we are after is hidden in a strongbox in the old locker in the other end of the camp. Now, I could of course easily disguise myself as one of them and go get it..."</p><p>"Only, you are not allowed to do that."</p><p>"Right, so you could teleport in and snatch it before they are any wiser..."</p><p>"Only, <i>I'm</i> not allowed to do that."</p><p>"Right."</p><p>"So what you're saying is that we are going up against of a bunch of bloodthirsty cut-throats for our personal amusement, and we are going to do it the <i>fun</i> way."<br/>
"Right!"</p><p>"I knew there was a reason I liked you."</p><p>"So what's the plan, princess?"</p><p>"My turn to be on the spot already?"</p><p>"Take your time. I'm sure we can sit here for as long is takes for you to come up with a plan without them discovering us."</p><p>"Actually I already have one."<br/>
"Splendid!"<br/>
"And it is all up to you, master infiltrator."</p><p>"My turn already, eh?"</p><p>"I wouldn't want you to feel left out."</p><p>"Appreciate it, candy-floss. Now tell me what to do."</p><p>- - - </p><p>The lizard gal on watch duty felt pretty good about being a bandit. She made her own hours, got lots of exercise and fewer people screamed at her than when she had been in the horde. And this time she was allowed to hit them back. Money was OK and she met a lot of interesting people - like the chameleon-person that just came whistling, strolling up to their camp like they owned it.</p><p>"Good-day, good soldiers of fortune," Double-Trouble said and made a little bow. "Can I interest you good people in a little business proposal."</p><p>- - - </p><p>"How does Entrapta make this look so easy?" Glimmer grumbled as she crawled through the vents. She carefully lifted a lid and dared a peak outside. Most of the bandits had drifted over to Double-Trouble who seemed to hold their attention. </p><p>"OK, here goes," Glimmer muttered and quickly crawled out. She ran over to the locker area - this room seemed to be an old soldier sleeping quarter - and started to rummage through the shelves. She found a strongbox and plopped a rather generous amount of coins in its place and stood up to leave.</p><p>She nearly jumped out of her skin as she stood eye to eye with one of the bandits. A man a few years older than her with an eye patch, a very business-like knife and a lifted eyebrow.</p><p>"I... I can explain... This is not what it looks like"</p><p>"It looks like you are stealing from us while your partner over there distracts us."</p><p>"That's... yes, that's is essentially a correct description, but..."</p><p>"But it also looks like you are paying...." a quick paus as the bandit assessed the money Glimmer had left... "quite a bit more than that box is worth. So you are clearly not doing this for the money."</p><p>"It's more like..."</p><p>"Spare me. I honestly don't want to know whatever thrill seeking, impulsive whim brought you to us. Now, I could just kill you and take however much else money you have stashed away in that pretty purse of yours..."</p><p>"Um.... could we discuss the alternative?"</p><p>"Or you fork up the double of what you already left, and I didn't see you. Deal?" The man and Glimmer traded smiles. She picked up her purse and counted out the coins.</p><p>"Should we make it three times the money instead? Only, then there is a small thing I would ask from you in return..."</p><p>Glimmer dragged the strongbox after her into the vent and put the cover back in place. The man waited until she was gone  before he stalked over to Double-Trouble and the rest of the bandits.</p><p>"I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT WE DO TO THIEVES AROUND HERE," he barked. Glimmer smiled. </p><p>- - - </p><p>"Thanks for the help back there, princess."</p><p>"Don't mention it. I knew you could handle it."</p><p>"I thought I had it in my pocket until that last bandit barged in... from the storage area. Almost like someone tipped him off my intentions were not pure."</p><p>"Talk about bad luck."</p><p>"Bad luck indeed."</p><p>They traded smiles. Glimmer had set up camp outside the building. She found refuge from the wind behind a partly demolished wall and got a fire started. Double-Trouble slid down next to her.</p><p>"Did you at least get the box."</p><p>"Of course I did! Will you now finally tell me what it was all about?"</p><p>"You didn't open it?"</p><p>"And spoil your big reveal. Don't be silly. The stage is all yours." Double-Trouble jumped to their feet.</p><p>"In that case, my dear Glimmer, I present to you... DINNER!" they sprung open the box and Glimmer looked down at a package of old, slightly moldy brown-to-gray ration bars. The Horde's stamp was on it.</p><p>"Um...."</p><p>"All the nutritional needs for a fighting soldier with all the taste of the Fright Zone baked in one."</p><p>"You can't be serious."<br/>
"What? Too rich for you? Spoiled little princess needs her special fork to be able to eat her honey-dipped cream croutons?"</p><p>"Oh, you just had to play the 'princess' card. Give me the bar." Glimmer took a large bite from the worst side of the bar and nearly choked. Double-Trouble laughed.</p><p>"Don't worry, the first taste is the worst"</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"No, not really. It will just get worse for each bite."</p><p>That turned out to be entirely correct.</p><p>- - - </p><p>"I do trust this was the dinging experience you had hoped for."</p><p>"Much, much better."</p><p>"And the dance? We could find another bot if you feel I sold you short in that regard."</p><p>"Not at all. It was the dance of a life time. Only..."</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"I was promised music, wasn't I?"</p><p>"Of course, my Queen. I hope you find it pleasing." </p><p>Glimmer looked around. They were sitting on the roof of a low shed, surrounded by industrial buildings in desperat need of repair. A soft rain drizzled down. They were the only people around.</p><p>"Well, I don't seem to..."</p><p>"Shhhhh!"</p><p>Glimmer closed her mouth. Double-trouble nodded contently and leaned back on the roof, looking into the sky. Glimmer did the same thing.</p><p>"So what..."</p><p>
    <i>"Shhhhhhhh!"</i>
  </p><p>She silenced again. Double-Trouble seemed content to stare into the cloudy sky, so she did the same, not seeing much of anything. The rain patted on the corrugated metal roofs in a gentle drips and drops. The wind ruffled stalks of weed that grew in lumps around the houses. An old pipe was gently moaning in the wind. Somewhere far away birds were singing... And she got it.</p><p>"The music is lovely, thank you."</p><p>"Glad you think so."</p><p>They looked at each other. They smiled. Glimmer inched closer and put her head on Double-Trouble's shoulder.</p><p>"I had a really good time today."</p><p>"Can I consider your royal self suitably impressed."</p><p>"Can't you just for once say 'so did I' or something to that effect?"</p><p>"Do you really have to ask?"</p><p>"No.... I don't. But it would be nice to hear you say it." </p><p>Double-Trouble sat up, took both Glimmer's hand and looked her in the eyes.</p><p>"I really enjoyed today too, Glimmer. Thanks."</p><p>"That's it? No melodrama? No condescending nick-names? No falling to your knees? No making this a big moment?"</p><p>"No. Would you have preferred that?"</p><p>"Absolutely not. A simple declaration was about the nicest thing you could have done, which is why I expected you to avoid it."</p><p>"Seems like I can still surprise you, my queen."</p><p>"Indeed you can. And yes, I am impressed. I've been almost killed and gutted and have eaten horrible food and had to sneak around in the dirt and I loved it. Thank you."</p><p>"Pleasure is all mine, cup-cake. You can take us back to Bright-Moon now."</p><p>"No."</p><p>"No?"</p><p>"No teleportation, remember?"</p><p>"You really don't have to do that any more."</p><p>"No, but I choose to. Date's not over yet. Let's go down to the docks. I'm sure we'll find a boat somewhere around here."</p><p>"Lead the way, my queen."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Third date - Pirates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They became pirates for a while.</p><p>Sea Hawk burnt the ship down.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Fourth Date - Crimson Waste</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>With thanks to The_Frank for ideas, beta reading and helping me sort out the relationship between these crazy kids.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Valley of the Lost. Home to the unwanted, the desperate or the ones praying on them. Surrounded by the unforgiving desert, baked by the unforgiving sun, and under constant threat of unforgiving bandits. </p><p>Not the place for a vacation.</p><p>Glimmer, Queen of Bright Moon, poofed into existence on a sand dune overlooking the town. She was dressed in a cute, cream colored dress with matching sandals, a hat that on one hand protected against the sun but on the other hand made her look like a mushroom. It had a cherry on the brim. Twirling the parasol she had in her hand, she strolled down to town. </p><p>“Hello my good woman,” She said to the first person she met. “I wonder if you would be so good to direct me to the respectable establishment of ‘the Oasis of Dreams’, as it has been recommended to me by a dear friend.” The woman gave the lonely girl and her expensive clothes a calculating look. She met it with a sweet smile and held up a hand, sparkling with power. </p><p>“Down this street, right by the square and follow the street until you see the old flags from the festival.” She thought for a moment and added “...ma’am.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Glimmer strolled on, and soon found herself by the house. She knocked on the door with her parasol. A man opened. He was nearly twice her size and dressed in loose, elegant clothes. He raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“What might cause a stranger such as you to find yourself at a humble establishment such as mine?”</p><p>"A recommendation,” she answered simply and produced a coin. “From a friend of mine, and perhaps of yours. A two-faced weasel of a scoundrel. Talks a good game but makes you want to count your coins. Perhaps you know the person to whom I am referring?” The man smirked.</p><p>“Indeed I do, and although their recommendations do not carry much weight here, a friend of theirs will no doubt need the relaxation we offer." And Glimmer was let into the house.</p><p>She was led to a closet where she put her belongings, and dressed in a towel that anyone not from Bright Moon would have deemed almost obscenely fluffy she wandered into the bathing area. Steaming hot tubs filled the room. Small doors led to shower cabins and saunas. With a shudder and a content little sigh Glimmer slid down in the closest hot tub and allowed her body to float free in the water. </p><p>“Rough day?” The man asked as he placed a glass of ice cold water next to the tub. Glimmer eagerly drank it.</p><p>“You can say that. Three hours of meetings, two hours of paperwork, one hour of talking Mermista out of ‘replacing the roads in Plumeria with canals or whatever ’... if the princess alliance was complicated during wartimes, it is a complete mess in peacetime when everyone has the energy to bicker properly.”</p><p>“Heavy is the crown on the head of her who wears it,” the man pondered philosophically. "I can’t give you advice on meetings or signatures or foreign dignitaries - but there is one thing I can offer you.”</p><p>"And what is that.”</p><p>"A relaxing massage.”</p><p>“This truly is an oasis.”</p><p>“It’s all in the name, my lady. Please let me know when you are ready.”</p><p>Glimmer stayed in the baths for a long time, and when she finally found her way to the massage table, she was practically radiating heat. The man was a skilled masseur and soon Glimmer could feel the last traces of Mermista being squeezed out of her.</p><p>"I take it you enjoyed the massage, my lady?"</p><p>"Immensely, thank you very much."</p><p>Glimmer sat up and stretched lazily on the bench. The man walked over to the closet and opened it. He frowned and turned to Glimmer.</p><p>"It appears all your belongings have been stolen.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You are now left in a strange city with no contacts, no money and no clothes. That is quite a predicament, my lady."</p><p>“You stole my <i>clothes?</i>”</p><p>“My lady, you insult me. I am no thief. In fact, since the theft occurred at my establishment, I am more of a victim than you.”</p><p>“<i>I</i> am the one whose clothes are stolen and <i>you</i> are the victim?”</p><p>“Indeed. I do bear you no ill will, however, and wish you success in managing this unfortunate turn of events.”</p><p>Glimmer gave him a long look. He met it calmly.</p><p>"Quite a predicament, indeed."</p><p>"Indeed"</p><p>"And the fact that it was stolen from your establishment, while I had put myself in your care, will do nothing to incite you to help me out of it."</p><p>"I don't see that happening, my lady. Incidentally, I will soon have another customer so I must ask you to leave. I do, however, and understand that this is a pure courtesy on my part and in no way a fulfilling of obligations of any kind, gift you a towel."</p><p>"How generous. Now I will have to poof all the way back home and..."</p><p>“However, I would be remiss were I not to point out that the closet is not entirely empty. There seem to be an envelope addressed only to ‘Sparkles’. May I assume…”</p><p>“Just give it to me!” Glimmer strode over and snatched the envelope from his hand and tore it open. Inside there was a note with just a short line written in flourish handwriting.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
  <i>Remember the rules, Sparkles. No teleportation. Have fun!<br/>
Love, DT</i>
</p>
</div><p>Glimer swore, a long, elaborate string of profanities as she slowly tore the letter to pieces.</p><p>“Bad news, my lady?”</p><p>“It will be for that smarmy shapeshifter once I catch them.”</p><p>“Far would it be for me to interfere in your business, my lady, but it seems to me you have more pressing issues to address at the moment.” Glimmer took a deep breath.</p><p>"Fine. I will play their games. If I have no contacts I should make some friends. If I have no money I should find a kind soul to help me out."</p><p>"And the clothes?"</p><p>"Oh, that won't be a problem," Glimmer looked down at her naked body with a self assured smile. Her hands weaved a spell and an illusion took form around her. An instant later she appeared to be dressed in a nice little sun dress with pink flower pattern. She left for the door.</p><p>"I'm so glad I paid in advance. I would have hated for you to be... inconvenienced."</p><p>- - -</p><p>Glimmer walked out in the street and looked around. It was quite busy, but no one paid her any special attention so her illusion probably did the job then. Still, she needed...</p><p>"Hello, I like your dress!"</p><p>It was a young girl with freckled face and sun bleached hair that was so tangled that if the girl ever attempted a serious haircut it would probably have to involve a scythe. She was dressed in well worn and torn clothes, but at the same time well kept and cleaned. She looked at Glimmer with that kind of open curiosity that is so common up to a certain age, and which is highly infectious. Glimmer smiled at her.</p><p>"And I like yours. Could you help me with something?"</p><p>"Of course," the girl said and clapped her hands. Glimmer pointed up the side of a building.</p><p>"See that flag up there? From the festival? I figure no one will miss it if I take it. If I hold you up, do you think you could reach it?"</p><p>"I'm sure I could, but you have to be veeeeeery careful not to drop me."</p><p>"You can do it." Glimmer helped the girl climb to her shoulders, and after a few false starts they got the flag down. Glimmer put the girl down on the floor and gave her a sly look.</p><p>"Thanks, Flutterina, that was very kind of you." The girl looked at her with big eyes.</p><p>"Flutterina? Why would you call me that? That's not my name. It's pretty, though. Who is Flutterina?" Glimmer laughed.</p><p>"I'm sure the two of you would get along."</p><p>"What are you going to use the flag for?"</p><p>"This! Do you have a pair of scissors, by any chance."</p><p>"I do by a complete coincidence happen to carry this complete sewing kit if that might be any help?"</p><p>"Yes, I imagine it might"</p><p>Glimmer sat down and, using the sewing kit, quickly made a passable tunic from the flag and a complementary undertunic from the towel. She put it on and dismissed the illusion. The girl eyed her critically.</p><p>"Perhaps not the height of fashion, but it works in a 'rustic chic' kind of way as long as you don't attempt any high kicks. You should probably have some shoes as well though. Glimmer winked and bent forward.</p><p>"I'm cheating," she whispered. "Just a tiny little magic force field around my feet and I can go barefoot all day."</p><p>"You're so smart," The girl smiled. "I wanna be just like you when I grow up. Bye!" She ran away around a corner. Glimmer followed the same way and found herself in a market street.</p><p>"Gather round, gather round," An old man with a ruined leg who sat by the side of the road said. "Young and old, everyone is sure to find entertainment in my stories from near and far." Glimmer found a spot next to a fruit stand and listened with interest</p><p>"Listen now to my tale of the brave and honorable Princess Sparkle and her arch-nemesis the fieeeeendish but handsome Doppelganger!"</p><p>Glimmer made an indignant sound that turned into a coff as the bystanders looked curiously at her.</p><p>The tale was outlandish and not so little insulting to the frankly dumb Princess Sparkle, and as Doppelganger fled on a burning space-ship, swearing revenge, the storyteller collected coins and treats from the assembled crowd. A little cat kid hesitantly went up to him.</p><p>"I really liked your story," The storyteller patted them on the head.</p><p>"I'm so glad to hear it. And every word is absolutely true, you know." He winked at Glimmer who rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Only... I don't have anything to give you..." The storyteller looked aghast.</p><p>"We can't have that, can we? We need to find a way for you to earn your stories... do you have any marketable skill?"</p><p>"Any what?"</p><p>"What can you do, kid?"</p><p>"Dunno..."</p><p>"Listen, you got friends, right?"</p><p>"Yeah..."</p><p>"What do you do to make them laugh?"</p><p>"Make them laugh?"</p><p>"Everyone wants to laugh. If you can give it to them, you are set for life."</p><p>"But we are just playing around..."</p><p>"Whoever told you that is not worthwhile is lying to you kid. Now, speak up. Friends. Laughter. What do you do?"</p><p>"Um... well, we have this game where I pretend to be a lion and we chase each other..."</p><p>"A lion? a lion? Kid! You come to me this fine day and tell me you have nothing to give - and you have been able to imitate a lion all this time? Let's hear it."</p><p>The crowd who had begun to disperse took notice of a second act in formation and gathered again. The kid looked around in embarrassment. The storyteller gently steered them towards the wall.</p><p>"Don't care about them. They're just the audience. Just focus on me. I'm your stage partner. Take a deep breath... And let's hear it."</p><p>"Meeaaaaaaooooow!"</p><p>"By my old grannies moldy slippers!" The storyteller pretended to be startled. "As I live and breathe, I could have sworn a real lion were loose in the streets. And not just any old lion, oh no." He fell into his storyteller voice and projected to reach the entire crowd. "Have you ever heard the story of the viiiiicious lion of the Shimmering Waste? Half animal, half machine. Some say it's an old guard animal from the first ones. Some say it's a failed experiment from a maaaad princess. But what's true is that it's a bloodthirsty killer with no match. Even the mighty Huntara herself has failed to best the beast. Three times she has gone up against it, and each time the lion has driven her away... ok, show them what you got, kid."</p><p>The kid, all embarrassment forgotten, jumped up to the empty circle in front of the storyteller and roared viciously.</p><p>"Woe is us, dear audience. We are all sure to be eaten today by this ferocious beast..." the kid snarled at one of the onlookers. "If only there was a hero that could save us... Ah, wait! as luck would have it, I think we have a hero right here!" The storyteller made a dramatic gesture and pointed straight at Glimmer, who suddenly found herself to be the center of attention.</p><p>"Don't let her humble appearance fool you, dear audience. This mysterious stranger is in fact an exile from exotic Mystacor.”</p><p>“I’m a what?”</p><p>“Yes, indeed, Mystacor. Cast out after a scandalous incident involving the master sorcerer and some… less than savory magic. I’m sure you know what I’m implying here, my good audience.“ Glimmer started to sputter as the crowd laughed.</p><p>“She has since then wandered the earth, fighting against evil and protecting the innocent. Surely this noble hero will save us from the vicious beast. Give her a hand!" The audience clapped and Glimmer gave the storyteller an annoyed look and stepped forward.</p><p>"I did not expect..." she began, but the kid was far too hyped up to wait for scene ques. Glimmer stepped to the side as the 'lion' attacked. The kid quickly turned and Glimmer ran back to the wall with the 'lion' hot pursuit. She made a show of stumbling and only saving herself from being caught by tumbling a few steps and then jumping to her feet again. The audience laughed and the kid had the time of their life. Glimmer traded a look with the storyteller. <i>Very well, if that’s the game we are playing…</i></p><p>"Oh! No!" Glimmer cried with the most heavy handed stage-voice she could manage and dramatically stumbled to the side as the kid growled at her. "I Fear This Mighty... BEAST is far too VICIOUS for me to slay. I shall truly PERISH this day." The 'lion' roared victoriously. Glimmer sank to her knees in the dust</p><p>“Woe is meeeeee. Why is my fate so crueeeeeeeel?” She dramatically raised her hands to the sky. “Oh spirits of fortune, why do you hate me sooooooo? Why, the day I was born ill poooooooortents warned my dear old papas of daaaaaaark days to come… and right they were. I was a mere child when DOOOOOOOM first entered my life in the form of...”</p><p>“Hey, this scene really doesn’t call for backstory,” the storyteller whispered. Glimmer gave him a sweet smile.</p><p>“What? I’m acting.”</p><p>“You are <i>overacting</i>.”</p><p>“It’s called drama.”</p><p>“It’s called <i>melodrama</i>.”</p><p>“Pah, don’t listen to him kid. He’s just jealous of our talents.” Glimmer put her arm around the kid and whispered something in their ear. The storyteller grumbled for himself and took a step back, leaving the stage to Glimmer and the kid. She stumped to her feet again and walked up to the audience.</p><p>“But who will help me slay the beast? Him?” She pointed at the storyteller. “Don’t make me laugh. He wouldn’t know heroics if it bit him in the a... behind.” The storyteller glowered as the audience laughed at him. Glimmer winked and turned to the audience again. “Her?” She pointed at a little kid who immediately got stage fright and hid behind the legs of a parent. “...no, I think we need a real hero… perhaps You!” She pointed at a red faced man in the sort of clothes that are meant to look expensive first and be practical second. “Please, step forward, kind sir.”</p><p>“Hrrrrm. I have always fancied myself as something of a thespian,” he said as the storyteller hid his face in his hands.</p><p>“You are a natural, Glimmer assured him. Now, together! For Victory!” The ‘lion’, who was starting to grow bored with adult-stuff growled again.</p><p>“Oh no, my fellow hero, the beast has found us!” Glimmer cried. Whatever should we do?” The man gave her a panicky look.</p><p>“We… um... Perhaps we should… uh... “</p><p>“Yes! That is indeed an excellent idea. Let’s find a way past the quicksand to attack the monster in the flank.” Glimmer mimed walking with exaggerated steps, and after a few moments of non-comprehension her stage partner followed. </p><p>“The Quicksand Of… Badness Is No Match For Our Heroics!” He contributed with voice wavering from excitement. The storyteller groaned. </p><p>“Now, fellow hero! Your sword!” Glimmer screamed and pointed dramatically in the general direction of the sky. The man mimed holding what he probably thought of as a sword but that rather came across as a rubber ball. The kid needed no more encouragement and catapulted into the man who fell over with a surprised grunt.</p><p>“Oh no!” Glimmer cried. "A heroic death. Let’s hear your dying speech…” The storyteller gave her a look of pure dread and she took pity on him. “...later. Because first I will surely perish too...” The kid turned to her with a bloodthirsty growl.</p><p>"But wait!" Glimmer cried. "I have mighty magic at my command. I will attempt to subdue the lion with a spell... Only... since it is such mighty magic I will need you all to help me. Say these magic words after me... Forthehonorofgrayskull! Forthehonorofgrayskull! Fonorosull... close enough!" The bemused audience humored her, more or less enthusiastically.</p><p>"Behold my sparkles," she announced. She made a mystic gesture and tossed a handful of shredded cloth she had left from the sewing in the air. As the cloth singled down over the 'lion' it sat down, made big eyes and lifted its front paws in a remarkably successful attempt to look cute.</p><p>"Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle... The beast has been tamed!" Glimmer announced, but suddenly looked worried again... "...for now. But what will happen when it becomes hungry?" The kid growled. "We can't risk it! Dear audience, I implore you - please give this ferocious beast something to eat so it might spare us all this evening."</p><p>The audience applauded, and the storyteller breathed out in relief. He quickly handed the kid a bowl to collect treats and coins. Glimmer was happy to see that the kid would not lack things to eat or share this evening. She helped the man to his feet and assured him that he had nailed the part and that he owed it to the dramatic arts to kindly donate his talents to the stage again. Soon.</p><p>“Well played,” the storyteller muttered and she gave him a little smirk in return. He turned to address the audience again.</p><p>"If you think that was a heroic deed our mystic guest just did - wait until you witness her next miracle. You all know the vendors of this town. Sharp as sticks, stingy as bees and sees any movement. If you ever tried to get credit from Gertrud here, you know what I mean." The storyteller nodded to the fruit vendor and the audience laughed and nodded. The vendor frowned.</p><p>"If you could please place one of your fine cactus fruits on the counter... no, don't worry, I won't touch it... there. You all see this fruit? Everyone in the back? You, Gertrud see it? Of course you do. No one gets one past you, am I right?" The storyteller hobbled up to the fruit stand that had become the new scene."</p><p>"Now our hero will have this fruit. For free!" Gertrud snorted and eyed Glimmer suspiciously. The audience turned their focus to her.</p><p>"Best of luck, oh mighty hero." The storyteller winked at her and hobbled to the side. Glimmer suddenly felt very exposed.</p><p>"Um... I suppose I can't ask you nicely for the fruit?" The audience laughed. Getrud crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"No? I suppose there is nothing for it, then. I will once again have to trust my mystical, magical powers." She picked up a stick and made a show of drawing a circle around her inscribed with mystical symbols (actually some first one writing she remembered from Adora's sword). She stood up and stretched her arms towards the sky.</p><p>"Now tremble as I unleash the magical might of the ancients. Shadows will flock. The sun will dim. Your greatest fear will... hey, isn't that stealing?" She pointed at the storyteller who was using the distraction to help himself from the fruit stand. She winked at him. Gertrud bared her teeth and the audience gasped at this new development.</p><p>"Oh, oh no!" He said with a smarmy smile. "I did not <i>steal</i> it. It was just knocked down by some careless ruffian and I helped to <i>retrieve</i> it. See?" He made a show of polishing the fruit on his sleeve and put it back. Getrud went up to him with measured pace and grabbed him by the throat.</p><p>"Listen, I've had just about enough of your..."</p><p>"Excuse me?" Glimmer interrupted between bites. "I just wanted to know if we are still doing the magic trick bit because, you know... I totally got the fruit"</p><p>Gertrud's head whipped around again to where Glimmer unseen and forgotten had grabbed the fruit and was now by all appearance enjoying it immensely. </p><p>The audience erupted in laughter and the storyteller took the opportunity to wriggle free. With far more agility than could be assumed from someone with his bad leg, he moved among the audience, collecting coins in his hat. Before Gertrud had time to react, he had presented her with quite a handsome sum.</p><p>"Alas, since I lack our mysterious guest's magical powers, I will have to buy my fruits the common way... I suppose this will suffice?"</p><p>Gertrud gave him a sour look, but accepted the coins and gave him two fruits.</p><p>"Well played, stranger," the storyteller said to Glimmer as the crowd dispersed. He gave her one of the fruits and a handful of coins. "Not knocking your fashion sense, but there is a used clothes store down the street if you want to upgrade.</p><p>"Thank you, kind 'stranger'. And thanks for the show. Is it always like this?" The storyteller looked taken aback.</p><p>"Of course not, Sparkles. Every show is unique. You play the audience just as much as your own material. If that kid hadn't been there I would have thought of something else. Now. What else do you seek in this fine city?"</p><p>"Perhaps something to drink?"</p><p>"Of course. There's a place just opposite of the clothes store that does truly remarkable lemonade."</p><p>"This is probably not enough for both clothes and lemonade," Glimmer remarked, counting her coins.</p><p>"I'm sure something will come up."</p><p>- - -</p><p>Glimmer left the store with a dress that was more layers than she had worn at the ice wastes, but where the fabric was light and soft enough to keep the sun and sand out and still allow for air to flow. She also had real shoes now. She walked over to the taverna and was greeted by a woman with a broad smile.</p><p>"Ah, you are here for a lemonade, no doubt?"</p><p>"As luck would have it, I am."</p><p>"Then I have a table for you right here... if you just wait for a moment your <i>server</i> will be up." She winked at Glimmer and marched her over to a small table.</p><p>"Kiilah!" she staged-whispered into the taverna. "There is a very <i>special</i> guest in need of service."</p><p>A young woman in stained clothes emerged from the gloom. She carried a tray and somehow managed to stumble over every single chair as she furiously blushing approached Glimmer.</p><p>"He... hey," she swallowed.</p><p>"Hello Kiilah," Glimmer answered in a bemused tone of voice, causing the blush to increase yet a notch.</p><p>"I... um..."</p><p>"I think this is the part where you ask me what to get me."</p><p>"Yes... of course... sorry... um, what can I get you?"</p><p>"I was told the lemonade here would be simply remarkable."</p><p>"Lemonade! Yes, it's perfect. I will bring it to you... At once... because that's what I do... I'm a server..." Kiilah trailed off and fled back to the kitchen. The sniggering woman strolled over and dabbed a wet cloth over Glimmer's table.</p><p>"She has been <i>so</i> excited to impress you," she commented with a meaningful look.</p><p>"I can see that."</p><p>“Enjoy your... lemonde,” The woman said, managing to work quite a lot of innuendo into the last word. She strolled back to her station as Kiilah stumbled back, by some sort of miracle not spilling the lemonade. She put it on the table and then apparently panicked at the thought of deciding her next move.</p><p>“Why don’t you join me?” Glimmer asked and indicated the empty chair next to her. Kiilah grew a shade more red and plopped down on the chair. Glimmer sipped on the lemonade, which was excellent, and gave the girl a long, thoughtful look.</p><p>"So, this is quite the act. Who is Kiilah?" she asked. The girl glanced around her, and then answered in Double Trouble's voice.</p><p>"A hopeless romantic and a bit of a klutz but she has a big heart and big dreams. She does odd jobs all over town. That's a good role to slip into if I need some quick cash or just want a place where I belong for a few hours. Now she has apparently been smitten with this pink-haired stranger and is eager to impress her."</p><p>“How many of the other people I have met today have been you?” ‘Kiilah’ shrugged.</p><p>“Some of them, maybe all of them. Don’t worry about it. Just let each scene play.”</p><p>"Very well, then,” Glimmer said. “Kiilah wants to impress me - so impress me." Double Trouble smiled and with a little flourish, knocked over the lemonade glass. They jumped to their feet and cried out in Kiilah's voice.</p><p>"Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh, I'm so sorry. A thousand apologies I will..." ‘she’ dabbed at the mess ineffectively with a cloth for a while and then ran into the kitchen. The older woman rolled her eyes and walked over to clean the table.</p><p>"She means well, you know," she driely commented. Glimmer smiled.</p><p>"I can tell. Has she worked here long."</p><p>"A few years, on and off. She always looks for this big next thing... but when they fall through, she comes back here."</p><p>"And you'd say she's trustworthy."</p><p>"Oh, most definitely. Not always the most <i>dependable</i> if you know what I mean, but there's not a single dishonest bone in her body. She's a good kid, all right? You treat her right."</p><p>"I'll do my best," Glimmer said, forcing herself to keep the same amused smile. 'Kiilah' rushed back from the kitchen with a fresh glass.</p><p>"I'm so sorry. I truly didn't mean to do that." ‘She’ winked at Glimmer and then composed ‘her’ face in hopeless puppy eye expression. "So... I don't suppose you will want to go to dinner with me after all of that?" Glimmer was aware of the other employers drifting closer, all attention without trying not to make it overt.</p><p>She crossed her arms and gave the young ‘girl’ a long glance - maybe drawing it out longer than she strictly had to for effect (Double Trouble truly was rubbing off on her). "I hear you are a good kid..." 'Kiilah's cheeks blushed with emberssment. "So tell me... how would a good kid like you treat their lady love to a good time in a town like this?" ‘Kiilah's’ cheeks, impressively, got even reder as ‘she’ blustered out ‘her’ answer</p><p>"We will dine tonight at the Star of The Desert." Glimmer could hear some sniggers from the kitchen. Glancing that direction, she saw more than one of 'Kiilah's’ colleges facepalming.</p><p>"That sounds lovely. You can pick me up by sundown." she bent forward and gave 'Kiilah' a not-quite-chaste kiss on the mouth, and, finishing her glass stood up to leave.</p><p>"What do I owe you?"</p><p>"I... nothing... it's on me..." 'Kiilah' stammered. "I'll... see you... tonight."</p><p>Glimmer walked around the block and found a place in the shade to wait. After a while Double Trouble came strolling, this time in their natural guise.</p><p>"Finished your shift already?"</p><p>"They gave Kiilah the afternoon off. They felt she needed some time to prepare."</p><p>"Oh, and why is that?"</p><p>"Because the poor, romantic fool just went and promised to take her date to the most expensive restaurant in all of the Crimson Waste.</p><p>"Sounds fancy."</p><p>"It is! This is the place where the most successful bandits go to show off, where foreign dignitaries take their liaisons, or desperate young folks try to impress their dates."</p><p>"Sounds expensive."</p><p>"Very. Luckily, money won't be an objective."</p><p>"You don't seriously suggest that we steal food again?"</p><p>"Of course not, sparkles. This is a <i>fancy</i> date."</p><p>"So what do you suggest?"</p><p>"<i>I</i> suggest nothing. Me, I'd probably scam someone into giving me dinner... or set up a street performance, or if I feel particularly lazy just pick-pocket someone. As for what <i>you</i> are going to do I have no idea. I look forward to seeing you figure it out."</p><p>"I'm paying?"</p><p>"I got us drinks, didn't I?</p><p>"I'm not going to steal just because I feel like playing poor for one day!"</p><p>"A very moral attitude, I'm sure. But it misses the point on two counts. First, I'm not <i>poor</i>. I live in the moment, but I live well. I don't need a castle for that. Second, I didn't ask you what you're <i>not</i> going to do. I asked you what you <i>are</i> going to do."</p><p>"Hmmmm. So what I need to do is to find a marketable skill..."</p><p>- - -</p><p>"Sparkles! Get your sparkles here! Hello to you good ma'am', don't you think you could use some gliiiiiiitter in your life?"</p><p>Glimmer had set up shop on an overturned crate by the side of the road. A bemused hunter stopped to read her crude sign.</p><p>'Beautician and make-overs? You sit here among the grime and dust and tell me you can make me beautiful?"</p><p>"You already are beautiful," Glimmer told the dirty, rough-faced rhino-woman with a smarmy smile. "I can bring it out. Show them you're something extra when you hit town tonight?"</p><p>"Usually I just hit someone with a chair."</p><p>"And when you do it tonight they will be hit not only by your fist, but also by your stunning looks... no, I don't suggest you headbutt them - but if you want to you do you."</p><p>"All right, Glitter. Show me what you got."</p><p>'What she got' turned out to be... passable. Glimmer had only had a short amount of time and no investment capital to scrounge up brushes, sponges, creams and pigments and sweet-talk some of the locals to give her a small credit. Her expertise in the noble art of make-up was also mostly limited to sleepovers with Bow (and a few disastrous attempts with Adora), the professional demonstrations she had got from the royal beautician of Bright Moon and whatever she had managed to learn from watching over pefuma's shoulder. But what she lacked in skill and material she compensated for with attitude and magic, and the hunter didn't smash the crate over her head after she was finished which probably should be seen as glowing praise.</p><p>"Not half bad. What do I owe you, Glitter?"</p><p>"For you, first one is free. Tell your frie... associates about me!"</p><p>It took a few hours, but one-by-one customers trickled by (two of which were nursing painful wounds, which Glimmer took as a sign that her viral marketing campaign was working), and as the sun started to set Glimmer had enough to pay back the shopkeepers who had given her credit, and still had some coins left.</p><p>"Well done," Double Trouble said from their lounging-spot opposite the road. "I'm surprised you managed to work undisturbed, though. Usually there is some low-grade bully who attempts a shakedown in these streets."</p><p>"Oh, someone tried that."</p><p>"What did you do."</p><p>"I beat them up. They didn't bother me after that."</p><p>"Very entrepreneurial."</p><p>Glimmer counted her coins. Double Trouble gave her an appreciating nodd. </p><p>"Not bad for an afternoon’s work, but hardly enough for the star of the desert."</p><p>"At least I have some seed capital." Glimmer eyed a house with a thoughtful frown. "And I think I know how to invest it."</p><p>- - -</p><p>The tavern was the sort where a keg counted as a culinary experience and a chair to the head the height of entertainment. Glimmer calmly strolled in and up to the largest, gruffest patron she could find. She put a hand on his arm.</p><p>"Hello there, handsome. You're any quick with those knives?" She pointed at some truly mean knives in his belt. The ruffian gave her a long look, trying several forms of mental calculations at once and ended at a stand-still.</p><p>"What's that to you?" Glimmer put a coin on the table.</p><p>"Just wanted to know if you are good enough to bet against me... if you dare, of course."</p><p>The man stood up, towering over her. He frowned.</p><p>“You a princess?” he asked with gruff voice. Glimmer made big eyes.</p><p>“Do I look like a princess?”</p><p>“You sparkle,” he flatly stated. Glimmer looked slightly embarrassed.</p><p>“Yeah… I do that. Listen - I’ll beat you fair and square. No sparkles, no magic, no tricks.” He thought for a moment and then put his own coin on the desk.</p><p>“No tricks I believe when I see it. Still, worth a coin to figure out what the trick is, eh?” Glimmer smiled.</p><p>“Excellent! Any others? I can match your coins if you dare.”</p><p>A few of the other patrons put up their own wagers and Glimmer and the man moved to the center of the room. She held out her hand and gave him an imploring look until he handed over one of his knives. She took it by the blade and pointed at the wall.</p><p>“Right, ten throws, none of us stand any closer than this chair, and whoever’s knife is closest to the knot hole wins. I do wish you best of luck, good sir… you will need it.”</p><p>"Hey, no one said anything about throwing, I thought they would be fighting," one of the betters complained, and then said nothing on account of his head being smashed into the table with a chair. The rhino-woman who Glimmer had given a make-over earlier calmly put the chair down and looked around the room with a clear "Anyone else?"-challenge in her eyes (which were still framed by quite fetching eyebrows). Since there were no further objections, the competition started.</p><p>The man was not <i>bad</i> per se, but Glimmer was better. Having spent countless hours with Bow practicing, not to mention a lot of time in deadly battles quickly aiming and firing precise bursts of magic she had a lot of practice. Enough to string the competition along for long enough to be exciting, and to miss her final mark with just a hair's width, causing the entire tavern to sigh in frustration. The man collected his coins and chuckled, honor restored. </p><p>Glimmer theatrically swore some rather impressive curses she had learnt from Netossa and looked around.</p><p>"Anyone up for giving me a re-match?"</p><p>Since the strange woman clearly was not unbeatable, but also a good game, several of the patrons were ready to compete. And now a lot more of them were willing to bet. As the pool money increased, miracuously so did Glimmer's luck. It took some doing, but bet by bet she amassed enough coins to walk out of the tavern with much heavier pockets than she entered with. As she left, the ruffian she first played against stood by the door, nursing a beer. He winked at her as she passed.</p><p>Out in the street the heat of the afternoon was now turning into the more tolerable afterglow of evening. More people were about. Glimmer kept a careful eye on her pockets and was soon able to slap away the green hand that tried to relieve her of her hard won coins.</p><p>“Princess!” Double Trouble protested.</p><p>“Scoundrel,” she answered.</p><p>“I take it everything is ready for our big date?”</p><p>"Almost," she answered. "Where can a girl take a bath before dinner around here?"</p><p>"I thought I had already given you the address of a bath house."</p><p>"They seem to have some slight problem with thieves."</p><p>"I'm sure you won't be bothered this time around."</p><p>"Well, then, care to join me?"</p><p>"Oh? In the mood for another massage, then?"</p><p>"That's not <i>quite</i> what I had in mind."</p><p>"Oh!"</p><p>- - -</p><p>"Hey, no shapeshifting!"</p><p>"Are you SURE that's what you want...?"</p><p>"Oh my!"</p><p>A flash of light was seen through the window. Double Trouble gasped.</p><p>"Now that was... An unconventional use of magic."</p><p>"Are you kidding me? No one talks about it over in Mystacor, but everyone figures it out on their own eventually."</p><p>"Do it again?"</p><p>"Me? Doing magic? That would be against the rules. I'm a <i>good</i> girl after all."</p><p>"You are cruel, my queen."</p><p>"And don't you forget it. Now, let's see some more of that shape-shifting"</p><p>Quite a bit of water was splashed.</p><p>"...and scene,"</p><p>"Oh no, you don't! You give me a repeat performance this instance."</p><p>"Everything for my audience"</p><p>- - -</p><p>The dinner was, indeed, fancy.</p><p>What's this called? Glimmer asked, quizzically studying something pink and squishy.</p><p>"<i>Oyster of the desert.</i> It's the egg sac of a beetle."</p><p>"My dad would like this place," Glimmer mused as she carefully replaced it and picked up     something safer.</p><p>"Of course he would, what's not to like?"</p><p>"Poverty, bandits, despair and the unforgiving waste? Oh, and I'm not a fan of those sand colored snakes."</p><p>"Really? They are great when you roast them. Here, have some." Double Trouble handed a small bowl to Glimmer, and she carefully took a miniscule piece on a fork and tasted it. She immediately took a larger piece.</p><p>"No, let me tell you what this place truly is: Opportunity."</p><p>"Sure, a haven for scoundrels and opportunists. I can see why you like it."</p><p>"True, but it's more than that. This is a place for people who have little to lose and few prospects for something to gain. What they had yesterday someone took from them. They don't have a reason to believe anything will change tomorrow."</p><p>"That sounds horrible."</p><p>"But that leaves them with the greatest gift of them all - today."</p><p>"A today to be hungry and thirsty and desperate in? I hardly see the appeal."</p><p>"You had a today with nothing but you witt, princess. Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it."</p><p>"I entered today with my belly full, I have a tomorrow which in all likelihood will include the royal bath of Bright Moon and I can teleport out any time I truly wish. Please don't insult the people who live here by comparing me to them."</p><p>"Give me the open road, a town full of scoundrels and an easy mark any day before the gilded cage you call a castle."</p><p>Glimmer pondered this for a while.</p><p>"I can't pretend I haven't felt like that now and then..."</p><p>"Tell you a secret, darling? So has <i>all</i> your pretty little princess friends." Glimmer laughed.</p><p>"That's not a secret, silly. The chains of responsibility is our number one bitching point at Perfuma's 'airing' circles. Do you know why I am the leader of the princess alliance?"</p><p>"Unsurpassed ambition, grit, determination, organisation skill not to mention raw magical power as well as enough political savvy to see past the needs of yourself and your kingdom and take the whole situation into consideration <i>and</i> being ruthless enough to act on that insight?"</p><p>"Um... thanks, I think. But, no. It's because none of the others want it and feel responsibility burns like acid."</p><p>"And you don't."</p><p>"...some days I don't." Double Trouble laughed.</p><p>"And there you have it. I have <i>none</i> of those days."</p><p>"And it never feels... I don't know... lonely?"</p><p>"How could it ever be with a world full of charming people like yourself. A sucker born every minute, and they are not even the most fun."</p><p>"But what about true connections?"</p><p>"What else would you call us? What did you have with your customers out there? You didn't just sell them a sub-par makeover. You sold them a <i>show</i>. A performance. A dance where they could take part for a few moves before it whirled on. What is that if not true connection?"</p><p>"What about tomorrow?</p><p>"Tomorrow doesn't exist. There is just another 'today'."</p><p>They sat silent for a moment, eating their snakes.</p><p>"I get it," Glimmer finally said. "I truly do. It sounds... liberating, I suppose. But it also sounds lonely. I don't think it would be for me."</p><p>"It's not for most people, darling," Double Trouble said, voice not wavering. "I've had fun. I truly have."</p><p>"What? That's it? You just call it quits?"</p><p>"That's how it goes. It's fun for as long as it lasts, but when it's over it's over."</p><p>"But... we could have something?"</p><p>"We <i>do</i> have something, princess. We have today. That was all we were ever going to have."</p><p>"We could have tomorrow!"</p><p>"I told you. Tomorrow doesn't exist."</p><p>Glimmer swallowed down an angry and hurt retort. She had got to know a lot of Double Trouble's moods. She had rarely encountered such an iron clad sincerity as in that statement.</p><p>"You wanted to see the real Double Trouble, Glimmer. This is it. This is me. Sorry to disappoint, but there really is not more to it."</p><p>"Just an endless stroll down the road? One act at the time, one day at the time?"</p><p>"What else?"</p><p>"What about when the road ends?"</p><p>"What about it? Every show ends sooner or later."</p><p>"But don't you want to... wouldn't you like... couldn't you..."</p><p>"No. I'm sorry."</p><p>Glimmer exhaled through her nose. Her head snapped up and she locked on Double Trouble's gaze.</p><p>"Bright Moon"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I want to show you Bright Moon. You have let me see your world. It's only fair if I get to show you mine."</p><p>"I have been to your world, darling, multiple times. Can I get Flutterina's old quarters?"</p><p>"No, you are not going as Flutterina."</p><p>"Of course not. That cover is blown. How about the charming and mysterious Prince Consort Dolle?"</p><p>"No. No aliases. You are coming as Double Trouble."</p><p>"Your friends will literally kill me."</p><p>"I will ask them <i>very kindly</i> not to."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Bright Moon - The last date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>With thanks to The_Frank for ideas, beta reading and helping me sort out the relationship between these crazy kids.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Good afternoon, oh valiant guardian. I seek entrance to this beautiful castle for a little, ah, rendezvous with her royal majesty the queen, if you would be so kind.” The Bright Moon castle guard gave Double Trouble an annoyed look and moved her glaive, letting them pass.</p><p>Double Trouble strolled up towards the castle gate. They were dressed like the merrier sort of buccaneer, with a blue, open jacket, long leather boots and a red scarf flowing in the wind. A sudden poof, and Queen Glimmer was walking by their side dressed in her usual purple dress. She put a hand on their proudly offered arm and together they went up to the castle.</p><p>“I’m so glad you came,” she said.</p><p>“I wouldn’t miss it for anything, my queen. You asked me to attend your world, and here I am. I can’t wait to see what you have planned for me.” </p><p>“It’s time for you to meet my friends.”</p><p>“Of course it is.”</p><p>“Hello, Mermista! Please meet my consort for the night!”</p><p>Mermista was sitting on the ground with her back to the castle wall. She looked up at them from over her book.</p><p>"Hi, Glimmer, hello Double Trouble," Mermista said with barely a nod.</p><p>"Good evening, my aquatic aquentience," Double Troubled answered and was rewarded with an eye-roll.</p><p>"Thanks for being supportive about this," Glimmer said. "It means a lot to me." Mermista snorted.</p><p>"Whatever, it's not like we haven't welcomed like... everyone from the Horde the last few years. And anyway, it's not like <i>I</i> have to do anything to see your prick of a partner get what's coming to them." </p><p>"Nice alliteration," Double Trouble said at the same time Glimmer asked "What do you mean?" Mermista nodded toward the main hall.</p><p>"Adora is here... with her <i>girlfriend</i>" Double Trouble turned into a lighter shade of green.</p><p>"Maybe I should..."</p><p>"Yeah, maybe you <i>should</i>," Catra hissed from behind them. "A bit too late now, isn't it?" Glimmer took a step in between them.</p><p>"Catra... you remember those things we discussed about..."</p><p>"Can it, Sparkles. This is between me and the chameleon." She took a step forward, Double Trouble took a step back.</p><p>"Now, Catra. I'm glad my last performance made such an impression, but..."</p><p>"Shut up, greenface. Adora, get your cute ass over here." Adora was already hurrying up to Catra fully intent of preventing her girlfriend from commiting murder. Catra grabbed her by the color and dragged her close.</p><p>"I have only one thing to say to you, Double Trouble..." she kissed Adora. Hard. Demonstratively. <i>Explicitly</i>. The rude gesture she accompanied it with was in fact not strictly necessary to get the point across.</p><p>"She <i>does</i> love me, so fuck you."</p><p>With a stunned Adora in tow, and with the swagger of someone who has decided she won, Catra sauntered off.</p><p>"Daaang, she's good," Double Trouble commented. "I can't believe I didn't get the last word on that one." </p><p>"Let's just be glad she didn't kill you," Glimmer said and offered her arm to Double Trouble again. Now, let's withdraw to the garden.</p><p>"Oh? We are having tea and crumpets among the flower beds?"</p><p>"Exactly. Glad you are keeping up."</p><p>- - - </p><p>The garden was full of princesses. Double Trouble gave Glimmer an almost nervous look.</p><p>“When you said it was time to meet your friends, you did not joke around.”</p><p>“I did not!”</p><p>Frosta, now taller than Glimmer (and decidedly smug about it) ran up to them and handed Double Trouble a glass of lemonade.</p><p>“But oh no! It’s lukewarm!” she gasped and looked in a melodramatic fashion at the glass. “Oh wait, I’m a magical ice princess. Problem solved.” The glass frosted over and she handed it to Double Trouble who gave her an appreciating look.</p><p>“Bra-vo, princess. Overacting gets a bad name, but there is a place for it if done right.” They took a step closer and whispered conspiratorially “Now do it with Glimmer.” Frosta needed no further encouragement.</p><p>“Hey Glimmer, here’s some lemonade… Oh no, it’s luuuuuukewarm!...” chuckling, Double Trouble strolled over to Scorpia and Bow who watched Perfuma apparently having a therapy session with the flowers.</p><p>“So if the roses don’t spread the roots all over the bed, and the foxgloves save some light for the roses everyone can thrive even if they are different, and I think we can all agree that it would be much more harmonious.” Scorpia blinked away a tear. </p><p>“It’s like… my life, but with flowers.” Perfuma gave her a coy look.</p><p>“Everyone could use some flowers in their life.” She cut a rose from the bush, quickly removed the thorns and tiptoed to be able to put it behind Scropia’s ear. Scorpia blushed crimson red.</p><p>“Is it always this… saccharine around here?” Double Trouble asked Bow who was watching in appreciation. </p><p>"As much as we can make it. You can hang out with Mermista if it is too much for you.” He nodded to the Salinean princess who had sunk down in the ornament pool with only her eyes above water, still managing to convey annoyance as Netossa and Spinerella got into an argument about something or the other.</p><p>“Oh no, I wouldn’t dream of depriving myself of such a fascinating character study. It’s so rare these days to encounter the true idealists and romantics.” Bow gave them a quizzical look.</p><p>“Really? I find that pretty much the norm around here… well, as long as Catra is out of ear-shot.”</p><p>“You would think so, as an idealist and romantic. No wonder Glimmer feels the need to get out of here now and then.” Bow looked pensive.</p><p>“You think that’s why she’s dating you? An outlet for her less idealistic side?” Double Trouble laughed.</p><p>“Call it what it is, my dear boy. She has a downright ruthless side. She has all this power, and one side of her loves to wield it without mercy. During the war she got an outlet for it, now when it’s all kittens and roses it chokes. That’s where I enter the picture. With me, she can be her old self again, if only for a few days at the time.” </p><p>“I’m glad the two of you found each other,” Bow said with a heartfelt voice. Double Trouble gave them a quizzical look.</p><p>“Really? No machismo? No Jealousy? No hurt feelings?” Bow gave them a confused look.</p><p>“No? Um… Should I?”</p><p>“It seems to be customary.”</p><p>“I’m just glad the two of you are happy,” Double Trouble rolled their eyes. Bow put a hand on their shoulder.</p><p>“Can I give you a piece of advice?” Double Troubled gave him a scornful look.</p><p>“Please, I am not exactly a novice in these matters. I hardly think there’s a lot you have to teach me.” </p><p>“Oh, all right.” Bow shrugged and went back to watch Perfuma laugh at a story Scropia was telling. Double Trouble fidgeted a bit before they went on.</p><p>“...but since you’re obviously bursting to tell me, fine. Advice ahead.” Bow smirked.</p><p>“It’s OK to demand things in a relationship.”</p><p>“I have been known to be pretty demanding…”</p><p>“Heh, no not like that. Just like it’s OK to set boundaries, it’s OK to talk about expectations. What do <i>you</i> want? How well does it match Glimmer’s wants? You might have more in common than you think…” Double Trouble narrowed their eyes at Bow.</p><p>“I take it Glimmer has talked about me, then.”</p><p>"A bit… nothing bad, and not the most… emotional parts. She respects your privacy if that’s what you’re wondering. But I think the two of you might benefit from talking a bit outside of this challenge you have going on.”</p><p>“Communication is the key to a healthy relationship!” Perfuma piped in and gave Scorpia an aside glance, causing her to blush again. </p><p>“I will take that under consideration,” Double Trouble said and left them a bit more hurriedly than strictly necessary.</p><p>They strolled over to the pond instead. Mermista rolled her eyes and sunk down, submerging completely.</p><p>“Hello, Double Trouble,” Spinerella said and waved.</p><p>Netossa and Double Trouble exchanged a guarded look.</p><p>“Double Trouble. Easy to take down in a fight. Only real advantage is in infiltration and manipulation. Weakness: Pride. Insult their acting ability to flush them out and then gag them so you don’t have to listen to their jappering.” </p><p>“Netossa. Tough exterior hides insecurities about not fitting in with the other princesses. Weakness: afraid she’s not good enough for her wife. Easy to manipulate to make her defensive, then overly aggressive. Her aggressions could easily be targeted towards other marks.” </p><p>They gave each other another long look. When Double Trouble spoke again, it was with the measured tone of voice you use to talk down the nutcase in the bar whose drink you just spilled.</p><p>“Perhaps we should walk to opposite parts of the garden and not interact any more?”</p><p>“Perhaps we should.”</p><p>“Good talk.”</p><p>“Same.”</p><p>“Goodbye, Double Trouble,” Spinerella said.</p><p>Double Trouble carefully backed away, not breaking eye contact until they bumped into Adora who was standing by the bufé table with her mouth full of food.</p><p>“Hi Double Trouble. You really need to try this.” She handed them a piece of baked… something. They nibbled a piece.</p><p>“Not bad, what is it?” She shrugged.</p><p>“No idea, it’s food. How are things with Glimmer?”</p><p>“Oh, pretty well, thanks for asking.”</p><p>“She’s a handful, isn’t she? But she’s worth it. She really looked forward to you coming here, you know”</p><p>“Well, I hope I won’t disappoint.”</p><p>“Nah, no you’re doing fine. I just wish me and Catra got as good a start.”</p><p>“When I first met Glimmer I spied on her to bring down her kingdom.”</p><p>“Eh, still several steps ahead of me and Catra... And anyway, we caught you, didn’t we?” Adora gave Double Trouble a smug grin before returning their attention to the buffé. “Oh, I haven’t tried that yellow pastry yet!”</p><p>As Adora renewed her assault on the table, Double Trouble strolled on. Behind a rhododendron bush they found Entrapta busying herself with taking apart a small fountain while Hordak held a parasoll to shield her from the sun. </p><p>“Oh, hi,” she said and looked up from her work, her hair still trying to get a good grip with a wrench. “Could you believe the sloppy work here? With juuust a few additions I can get an increase in pressure with up to six hundred percent!”</p><p>“Which is very useful in an ornamental statue, my dear,” Hordak answered in the dry almost-not-sarcastic voice he considered to be supportive. </p><p>“I did not peg the two of you for the sort to enjoy a garden party,” Double Trouble commented. Hordak gave them a sour look, but it was Entrapta that answered.</p><p>“Machinery whose only function is for funsies? People interacting out of their normal operational parameters? <i>Tiny food</i>? What’s not to love?”</p><p>“People you hate and wish were dead,” Hordak growled with a now openly hostile look at Double Trouble. Entrapta looked up at him.</p><p>“You have sworn vengeance on this one too?” One of her braids smacked him on the fingers. “Now, what did we say about revenge?”</p><p>“...that it’s not a constructive method of healing and building bridges.”</p><p>“Veeeeeery good. Have a crumpet. There’s a shrimp on it." Another strand of Entrapta’s hair moved a small piece of food to Hordak’s mouth. He ate it.</p><p>“I’m very glad the two of you found each other again, considering…” Double Trouble let the sentence trail off and gave Hordak a wink. Hordak looked like he considered unconstructive actions, but turned his back to the changeling instead. That put him face to face with Scorpia, who just rounded the bush, still with the rose in her hair.</p><p>“Oh, hi boss… ex-boss, you know what I mean. Wow, this is a blast from the past. Just like old times, am I right? Boy… hard to look back at those days. I fell into a baaaad crowd, didn’t I? No offense.”</p><p>“I was stuck in a limiting mindset holding back my true potential,” Hordak growled.</p><p>“I was in it for the science and the comradery!” Entrapta piped up</p><p>“What about you, Double Trouble?” Scorpia asked.</p><p>“They were just in it for the games,” Catra hissed from behind them. ”Still are." As Double Trouble quickly moved to get away, she put a hand on their arm. Not really holding them, but strongly indicating that it was a distinct possibility should they try to walk further. She stepped in very close.</p><p>“We had a lot of fun those days, didn’t we? You infiltrating the princess alliance for us, sowing discord, betraying us… good times.”</p><p>“What can I say? You gave me a lot of material to work with. The horde against the princesses was the great drama of our time… well, until you upstaged us with that whole space invasion thing anyway. How rude.” Catra leaned in close and grinned.</p><p>“Remember the She-Ra-imitation you did… do it again.” They caught her gaze.</p><p>”Are you sure that’s the game you want to play, Catra? It didn’t go too well for you last time.” Catra barred her fangs. </p><p>“How about the Glimmer one? ‘Oooooh, sparkle, sparkle, sparkle.’ You know, the one you did as you drove a wedge between her and her friends and almost got them all killed.” Double Trouble gave her a long look.</p><p>“I remember. That’s when you sent those pulse bots that almost killed Adora, wasn’t it?”</p><p>They glared at each other. </p><p>“Hey, I just thought of a fun game. What if you disguise as Bow and figure out what they say behind your back?” Double Trouble leaned even closer.</p><p>“I thought you of all people should know not to ask questions you don’t want answered. Or do you want to hear what they say behind <i>your</i> back? I could tell you.”</p><p>“Or why not disguise as Queen Sparkles herself? Declare war on Plumeria or whatever. See her scramble to figure it out.”</p><p>“That’s your idea of a prank?”</p><p>“No, but it used to be yours.”</p><p>“The problem with you, dear Catra, is that you are not and have never been an artist. These things take finesse…. Maybe I should turn into you?”</p><p>Catra pouted and let go of Double Trouble.</p><p>“You are no fun anymore. Sparkles really has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?”</p><p>“I’m still in it for the games, if that’s what you’re asking.”</p><p>Scorpia chuckled nervously.</p><p>“Wow, this turned into quite the re-union. Team Evil rides again… only, we’re obviously not evil anymore, am I right?”</p><p>Silence as they all pondered that. Entrapta pulled at a datapad and booped on it for a little while.</p><p>“The data saaaaaaays… No! Not evil!”</p><p>“Eh, good enough for me,” Catra said and sauntered off. “Let me know when you’re up for some <i>fun</i>, Double Trouble.” </p><p>Double Trouble pointedly ignored her and turned to Scorpia.</p><p>“Want to have some fun?”</p><p>“Ooooh, always!”</p><p>“Then let’s get some music for this party.”</p><p>Double Trouble steered to a small alcove by the side where a grand piano stood, normally glassed in but in fine weather like this out in the open. They slid down and started picking out notes.</p><p>“I loved your singing down in the Enchanted Grotto, darling. Thought it would be time for a repeat performance.”</p><p>“Sing? Me? I mean… Gosh. You really liked it? …like, I was so unprepared and hyped up and Perfuma really believed in me and I had no idea if I could do it and...”</p><p>“You can do it. Do you know ‘Blossom of my heart’?”</p><p>“Sure… my moms used to sing it, but… isn’t that a children’s song?”</p><p>“Only makes it a classic. In your own time!”</p><p>Double Trouble started to play the melody, and after a moment’s hesitation Scorpia joined in. Uncertainly at first, but with more and more gusto the longer the song went on. Double Trouble encouraged her and gave small prompts as they went, which kept Scorpia’s attention on them rather than the other princesses who drifted closer. Specifically, it kept her from seeing Perfuma’s expression.</p><p>“That’s it, darling! You have it now. Just the chorus from the top aaaaand face the audience!” Before she fully registered what happened, Scorpia had spun around, one claw raised high, singing with all her might.</p><p>“...You are the Blooooooossom Oooooooof My Heaaaaaaaaaaaart… oh.”</p><p>Perfuma, unable to contain herself any longer, rushed up to her with flushed face and caught Scorpia in a tight hug. Wines grew up around them and soon a whole new rosebush surrounded the two princesses and emitted a lot of happy noises. Double Trouble stood up from the piano.</p><p>"Aaaaand scene!” They offered their arm to Glimmer who was blinking away happy tears. “Darling, lead the way. I think this party has given what it had to offer.”</p><p>“That was very nice of you.”</p><p>“Nonsense, the story was already in development. I just gave it a little nudge to reach a properly dramatic climax.”</p><p>“I bet they will.”</p><p>“<i>Glimmer</i>” She laughed.</p><p>“Why you of all people should be a prude I’ll never understand.”</p><p>“Proper time and place, that’s all. First rule of acting.”</p><p>Arm in arm, they left the garden at the same time a loud crack, a scream, a spray of water and a mad laugh indicated that Entrapta had finished her work on the fontain. </p><p>“What happens now, my queen?”</p><p>Glimmer indicated a door with a small nod.</p><p>“Now it’s time for a wardrobe change.”</p><p>“Oh, and what’s the occasion I’m dressing for?”</p><p>“I dare say you’ll find out.” Glimmer walked away down the corridor, leaving Double Trouble to enter the room alone.</p><p>The room was one of the smaller guest rooms - only a bed, three wardrobes, a generous amount of cushions, two sofas, an armchair, a fireplace, an ornament waterfall, eight glass statues of birds and two full body mirrors. </p><p>Double Trouble opened the first of the wardrobes and apparently liked what they saw.</p><p>“Well… an officer and a gentleman, a scoundrel, the belle of the ball, poor little country mouse’s first time in the big city... So much to choose from, so little time.”</p><p>In the end they went with a fetching, slim dress, dark-green to black (which went well with their natural skin color) with a tasteful amount of sequins and which showed a rather generous amount of legs. Some quick adjustments to make room for the tail, a matching hat boldly slanted to the side and cream white gloves. They admired themselves in the mirror when the door opened. </p><p>"Ah, the queen's little consort."</p><p>Double Trouble turned around. Castaspella gave them a short nod.</p><p>"The aunt? I figured it would be the kid with the bow to give me the talk."</p><p>"And what talk would that be?"</p><p>"You know, the 'If you ever hurt her I will...'" Castaspella laughed.</p><p>"You seriously think we are afraid of <i>you</i> after all that she's endured? You think an amoral scoundrel of a washed-up actor is more of a threat to her health and sanity than living under the same roof as Catra?"</p><p>"Washed-up? Madam, I take serious offence to that." Castaspella nodded.</p><p>"Pride it is then. I wondered what your buttons would be... you do know why she slums it with you, right?"</p><p>"Of course! Momentary respite from the shackles of queenhood and a happy reminder of more carefree days on the roads. The more shiny the prison, the more does the prisoner long for dirt and grime."</p><p>"And a cynic as well. You don't entertain the thought that perhaps she loves you for your own sake?" Double Trouble looked away, only for a moment, but it was not lost on either of them.</p><p>"She's a hopeless romantic," Double Trouble answered in a rather lame attempt at deflection. Castaspella snorted.</p><p>"That she is, and she genuinely likes you, you know. You make her laugh. I'm glad you do. She needs that."</p><p>"I'm always happy to serve!"</p><p>"And what are your feelings towards her?" Double Trouble lifted an eyebrow</p><p>"Now that's a bit of a personal question."</p><p>"...and there's the wall. You have no problem showing off that flippant, care-free side of yourself, but you guard your real emotions with a jealousy I find rather telling." Double Trouble gave her an annoyed look.</p><p>"It... it must be trauma from my mysterious past haunting me to this very day. Past rejections poisoning the prospect of future relationships."</p><p>"Please, save it for the stage. I don't care either way. But I do care about Glimmer..."</p><p>"Ah, so <i>now</i> we are getting to that 'don't hurt her' part."</p><p>"No, now we are getting to the 'don't disappoint her' part." Castaspella caught Double Troubles gaze.</p><p>"She's really fond of you. I don't know where the two of you think you are going, and personally I don't think you are worth her efforts, but that's her call and not mine."</p><p>"I've never been anything but upfront with her. She knows what she's in for."</p><p>"Says the spy and trixter."</p><p>"You think I'm working an angle with this?"</p><p>"You're not?"</p><p>They glared at each other. Double Trouble cleared their throat.</p><p>"I'm having fun too, OK? She is smart and enthusiastic and she can take whatever I dish out and pay me back with interest." Castaspella gave them a disbelieving look.</p><p>"You mean to tell me you’re really falling for her?"</p><p>"I mean to tell you she makes me laugh." </p><p>Castaspella nodded thoughtfully. She made a little gesture, and a thin crystal necklace appeared in her hands. She handed it to Double Trouble.</p><p>"Glad we had this little talk. This will go well with the dress. Enjoy Bright Moon."</p><p>She left the room. Double Trouble put on the necklace (which indeed went well with the dress) and went out to the corridor. Leaning against the wall, Micah was waiting for them. Shadows were playing around his fingers in a way that had nothing to do with the light sources of the room.</p><p>"You're the one who's fooling around with my daughter, then?"</p><p>"Ah, so THIS is the part with the 'If you ev..."</p><p>"If you ever hurt her I will <i>end</i> you."</p><p>"Finally someone who remembers their lines."</p><p>"That's what a loving father is supposed to say to his daughter's partner, right? Doesn't matter. If you ever hurt her she'll deal with you herself, and far more effectively than I ever could. You crazy kids have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't unless you really want to."</p><p>Micah gave Double Trouble a wink that contained quite a lot of information for such a simple gesture and strolled off.</p><p>"I start to see where she gets it from," Double Trouble muttered and went to find Glimmer.</p><p>- - - </p><p>"You don't happen to know the whereabouts of my girlfriend?" Double Troubled asked one of the Bright Moon castle guards. "Pink, cute, great kisser, oh and you know, the queen around here." They smiled a sassy smile. The guard gave them an annoyed look.</p><p>"THE QUEEN CONSORT INQUIRES FOR THE QUEEN!" she bellowed, making Double Trouble jump.</p><p>"THE QUEEN CONSORT INQUIRES FOR THE QUEEN!" Another guard picked up, and then another, and another.</p><p>"Well, that's new," Double Trouble muttered as a servant walked up to them.</p><p>"The queen requests for the queen consort to attend dinner," she announced while refusing eye contact with Double Trouble. </p><p>"Very well, lead on then."</p><p>Double Trouble was led to a pair of double doors. The two guards on duty opened them and then closed them as Double Trouble strolled in.</p><p>Double Trouble took in the scene. The room was lit by hundreds of crystals in all colors of the rainbow. Glimmer stood by the end of a table several meters long with a heavy chair on each end, with a complex dining arrangement with multiple sets of plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery. Two servants stood to attention.</p><p>Glimmer was... stunning. She was dressed in a purple dress, more voluminous than what she usually wore and with a richly lazed hemline. Her hair was adorned with tiny, pink flowers and her entire appearance sparkled. Tiny gems were strawn over her dress, her hair and her skin. It was not apparent how - or indeed if - they were fastened, but Double Trouble suspected magic were at least partly responsible. She smiled at them and made a small welcoming gesture.</p><p>Everyone's eyes were on Double Trouble. Smile widening they walked up to Glimmer, steps echoing on the floor. As they did their posture changed. No longer the confident swagger of a scoundrel or a pirate, they now walked with the measured step of an officer or a sea captain. High heels clicking against the floor in perfect rhythm. The kind of person with confidence and self-control you better thought twice before standing in the way of. They made a short, precise curtice and pulled out Glimmer's chair for her. Glimmer graciously slid down on it, and with exact steps, Double trouble walked over to the other chair and sat down. They smiled at Glimmer, not their normal cocksure smirk but rather the equivalence of a fencer saluting their opponent in the beginning of a duel. Equal amounts of respect and challenge.</p><p>The servants moved around the table. A small plate with a morsel of pie was placed in front of them, almost lost among all the different plates and bowls. Glimmer gave Double Trouble a small nod, and they picked up a tiny fork among the cutlery and took a bite of the pie. Glimmer followed suit.</p><p>The servants filled up their glasses. Double trouble picked it up and held it close to their lips but without drinking. Glimmer smiled and raised her own glass in a micro toast. Double Trouble responded, and they drank. Next an assortment of fruit, cheese and delicious moist things in tiny bowls were served. Again Double Trouble did not hesitate before eating, at each turn using the correct implement, the correct eating order and in any other aspect following the minutiae of ancient etiquette rules. </p><p>“Impressive,” Glimmer commented. Double Trouble smirked.</p><p>"Please, my queen. I do enjoy the game but you can't seriously expect this to be a challenge for me"</p><p>"No?"</p><p>"I'm a <i>spy</i>. Worming my way into situations I don't belong is my bread and butter." They lifted a fork. "Tiny, dainty, not good for big pieces of food. Probably for cheese or cake, or possibly fruit. Placed far out, will be used early. Oooh, there comes the cheese." They picked up a spoon. "Deep. Good grip. Probably for soup." A twirly implement. "I have no idea what this is. I would just wait for you to use it." They chuckled.</p><p>"You know your way around a table."</p><p>"Sure, but that's just the entry level. The real artist knows to not play the game, but the player." They picked up the spiral implement again and used it to stir the content of their glass. They met Glimmer's gaze.</p><p>"What, my queen? You don't know how to properly handle one of these? I thought you had a proper upbringing... I could maybe even press some buttons... something about your <i>father</i> not bringing you up properly. He says hi, by the way."</p><p>"He likes you."</p><p>"And he <i>loves</i> you."</p><p>"I'm lucky to have him back."</p><p>"Anyway, if I wouldn't want to change the rules on you I could change the game..." Their shoulder's hunched and they looked at their plate in seeming despair. They picked up the spiral again and sighed.</p><p>"My queen... I'm just a simple actor, I wouldn't know a cheese knife from a butter spoon, but I do know I love you, and if you would just teach me, I would be honored to share your meal in the way you see fit... there, wouldn't you look just like the jerk now if you tried to lord your knowledge of cutlery over me."</p><p>"I would indeed!"</p><p>"See, all this," Double Trouble did a gesture towards the table and the servants, "it's just a game of belonging. If you're in you know your spoons and forks, if you're out you don't. Same in every place. A bandit camp, a horde soldier camp fire, a princess meeting, a gaggle of adventurers... Do you know the codes? The songs? The slang? The proper insults? How to answer to them? It's all just spoons and forks, and I would be a poor spy if I couldn't find a way to <i>always</i> belong if I so desire."</p><p>Glimmer clapped her hands.</p><p>"You are good."</p><p>"I am the best, my queen. I am flattered, though, that you thought of a game for me. Cheers."</p><p>They lifted a glass. Glimmer answered in kind.</p><p>"I thought more of it as a game for us."</p><p>"Oh? and what part are you playing?"</p><p>"The part of leading the conversation out of your comfort zone"</p><p>"And how is that working for you?" </p><p>Glimmer waited for Double Trouble to take a sip of the drink until she answered.</p><p>"Did you just say that you love me?"</p><p>Double Trouble calmly finished their drink and put the glass down.</p><p>"Why yes, my queen. I think I did. How very.. indiscrete of me."</p><p>"I love you too."</p><p>“I know. I’m glad for it.”</p><p>“Well… we’ve never really said it before.”</p><p>“It’s good we got this chance, then.”</p><p>Glimmer looked at them in frustration. They caught her eyes.</p><p>“What is love, Glimmer?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You feel my words and my actions don’t connect. That’s because we measure love by different stocks. So I don’t think it is an unreasonable question. You say you love me. What does that mean?”</p><p>“You seriously ask me that?”</p><p>“For such an important word, people rarely discuss what it means. Seems a bit of an oversight, no?”</p><p>“Well, what IS love?” Double Trouble looked down at their finely manicured nail.</p><p>“You remember the little ditty me and Scorpia played?”</p><p>“It was very nice.”</p><p>“Did you see Perfuma’s face?”</p><p>“Heh. Yes I did.”</p><p>“That was love.”</p><p>“Well, yes. But that’s an example, not an explanation.”</p><p>“Perhaps, but a pretty good example nevertheless. Have you ever heard Scorpia sing before?”</p><p>“Well.. she hums sometimes when she doesn’t know anyone is listening.”</p><p>“Life in the Horde does not lend encouragement to the creative arts, I’m afraid. I have heard her once before, while you were out galavanting in space. Great singer, if somewhat in need of stage directions and <i>desperately</i> in need of support and encouragement… well, I think dear Perfuma might see to that last part.”</p><p>“That is sweet and all, but I don’t get quite what you…”</p><p>“Scorpia left the inhibitions of her normal world and entered a special world. The world of song, in this case. And she invited Perfuma to join her… well, I might have played the odds a little bit with choice of lyrics, but that’s just a little extra flair for the stage. Those two loverbirds had been flirting all day. Scorpia stepping out of her comfort zone was never not going to send a message to Perfuma - one that was very well received, I might add.”</p><p>“So love is…” Double Trouble stood up and made a gesture very similar to what Glimmer usually did when she summoned her staff.</p><p>“Love is magic! ...oh, don’t look surprised. This is not news to you.”</p><p>“I think you lost me between the singing and the magic. If Scorpia did magic we would know it. Sparks fly. Literary.”</p><p>“Well, don’t be literal for now, then. I don’t talk about princess magic. I talk about everyone’s magic. The magic of changing the mundane to the… magical. Of leaving the everyday world and entering a magical, special world. And to invite someone to join you. Or if you will, it’s the moment when the curtains lift and a few planks on a couple of boxes turn into a stage.”</p><p>“I was wondering when you would get to the theater.” Double Trouble walked over to Glimmer and took her hand.</p><p>“You inviting me here to share your world… that’s magic. That’s love. Me giving you a day of games to play in Valley of the Lost, that’s magic. That’s love. You reaching out to a known scoundrel to ask for a date in a seedy tavern… that’s magic.” They planted a soft kiss on Glimmer’s hand. “That’s love. We have made a special world for each other, Glimmer. Every time we chose to enter it, that’s love.”</p><p>Glimmer was unable to contain herself any longer. She quickly snatched a basket the servants - who could read the room as well as anyone else - had placed within arms reach and then she kissed Double Trouble. Hard. As they kissed they teleported away.</p><p>Left to themselves in the room, one of the servants lifted an eyebrow. The other nodded, admitting defeat, and handed over a coin.</p><p>- - - </p><p>The moonstone shone bright. Glimmer and Double Trouble poofed into existence by the little platform next to it. They still kissed, and it took them a while to finish. Double Trouble looked around and took in their bearings.</p><p>“Dramatic!” They commented, clear approval in their voice. Glimmer busied herself with the basket and quickly unpacked a wealth of little packages and bottles that made Double Trouble’s tastebud scream in joy just from the smell.</p><p>“This was the most special place I could think of...”</p><p>“It is spectacular, darling, but don’t sell yourself short. The special place does not have to be flashy and dramatic. Sometimes the little touches are enough. Like that kiss for example. You set up a normality for that dinner… and then you crossed it with me. Delightful.”</p><p>“You liked that, did you?”</p><p>“I liked that a lot.”</p><p>They kissed again.</p><p>“For a self proclaimed cynic, that might be the most romantic thing I ever heard.”</p><p>“I’m a self proclaimed <i>realist</i>. If other people call me a cynic it’s just because they don’t like the way reality looks. Most people don’t, I take no offence. But as an artist I make my living creating special places. Sometimes a direct reflection of reality, sometimes an improved version, sometimes subversions. How could I do that if I don’t know what reality looks like? And love is one of the most real things there is.”</p><p>“There you go saying romantic things again.” Double Trouble laughed.</p><p>“There are so many two-bit villains and thugs who look down on love when it is in reality one of the strongest forces in the universe. Look at our little Team Evil reunion at your garden party. Catra in love with Adora, Hordak in love with Entrapta, and just as that, generations of war end with tea and crumpets.”</p><p>“It was not QUITE as easy as that but I get what you mean.”</p><p>“Horde Prime didn’t get it... Well, he got half of it. He created a special place, all right. But he didn’t invite people. He forced them to enter and then he kept them there. It might look like love if you have the chip yourself, but otherwise is just a perversion.” Glimmer shuddered.</p><p>“There are nights, sometimes, when I don’t have nightmares about that ship, or that chip.”</p><p>“Yeah, anyway. Then he went and stole Adora’s little kitten and before you knew it she was out in space jumping asteroids and stabbing spaceships. Love does that. Only a fool discounts it. He may have been a fool but I’m not.”</p><p>“So... you somehow managed to end that little speech as a cynical romantic?” Double Trouble laughed again.</p><p>“I’m still the same realist as I was when I entered the conversation. If you think my views on love are cynic or romantic that’s because that’s what <i>love</i> is. It should come as the surprise to no one that the most powerful force of the universe can be used for destruction as well as creation... I will spare you examples.”</p><p>“Please do, I can think of a few myself and those are not pleasant memories.” </p><p>Double Trouble opened one of the packages and picked up a piece of cheese. They added a dash of marmalade from a jar and offered a piece to Glimmer and they ate in silence for a few moments. They moved closer to Glimmer on the platform and stroked her cheek.</p><p>“Your turn, Glimmer. What is love?” She thought for a moment with her gaze lost far away on the horizon. The light of the moonstone played over her features.</p><p>“Out in space… When Adora said she wanted to save Catra, all I was thinking was ‘duh, of course you should do that’. I have known Adora for years… she and Catra have been through so much - like half of it Catra’s doing. And Adora has never once given up on Catra. She’s always been there for her, always given her a way out. It took a lot… a LOT of patience, but in the end Catra took it. That devotion, that desire, that willingness to go the extra mile… that’s love.”</p><p>“I will say this for Adora - when she creates a special place she doesn’t half-ass it.”</p><p>“Netossa and Spinerella argue day and night and love each other something fierce. They know their love takes work, and they put it in. My mom and dad drew each other crazy sometimes.” She gave Double Trouble a sly look “ It took so much work to make <i>him</i> eat with the right fork… or for her to be out camping, heh, that was quite the week. But they found ways to make it work. They talked, they compromised… they really loved each other.” Her voice trailed off and she turned to look at the moonstone with blank eyes. Double Trouble said nothing.</p><p>“Love is...” Glimmer swallowed and went on. “Love is… devotion.” Double Trouble watched her in silence.</p><p>“That special place you build… sometimes it takes work. Sometimes it takes time. Sometimes you have to spend a lot of effort just maintaining it. Not only when it’s easy, but also when it’s hard. That’s… devotion. That is love.”</p><p>“Tomorrow,” Double Trouble said flatly. Glimmer sighed.</p><p>“We always seem to come back to that, don’t we?”</p><p>“I get it princess, I truly do. You lost people. You were lost yourself. When Shadow Weaver had you captured in the Fright Zone, they came for you. When Horde Prime had you locked up on the ship, they came for you. When you, Adora and bow had your little tiff and they went for Entrapta without you… eventually they came back. You came back. You even got your father back. You rebuilt your special place. There is a great comfort in that. That is not wrong to wish for.”</p><p>“But you…”</p><p>“I do not promise you tomorrow. Sorry.” Double Trouble looked at the horizon for a while as Glimmer looked in another direction. The sun was setting, painting the ocean waves with gold.</p><p>“You know… me and Catra, we had something there for a while, too. It was fun, it was exciting, it was a special place.”</p><p>“I do remember. I was part of it.”</p><p>“We shared jokes and secrets. We had this whole infiltration project going on. I made her laugh… she made me laugh… it was great - until it wasn’t.”</p><p>“Until you betrayed her for someone better.”</p><p>“Until I betrayed her for you, darling.”</p><p>“That does not make me feel better.”</p><p>“Really? It should. You won the war almost single-handedly. Own that victory.” Glimmer shuddered.</p><p>“I… try not to be that Glimmer any more.”</p><p>“I <i>like</i> that Glimmer.”</p><p>“I know. That’s why I bring her out, just a bit, when I am with you.”</p><p>Double Trouble put down their cheese and turned to Glimmer. They took her hands and looked her in the eyes.</p><p>“I’m going to ask you a question, Glimmer. I want you to be honest with me. I don’t ask for much in this relationship, but I do need the truthful answer to this question.”</p><p>Glimmer swallowed and nodded. She looked at Double Trouble with an earnest expression.</p><p>“I promise.”</p><p>“Do you like to be the Glimmer you are when you are with me? Not because it makes me happy, but for your own sake?”</p><p>Glimmer blinked. She frowned. She thought for a moment, then:</p><p>“Yes. I do. I have fun. I have excitement and when we play our little games we don’t hurt anyone who can’t take it.”</p><p>“Thank you, Glimmer. That means a lot to me. And if your answer to the question ever changes I implore you not to linger.”</p><p>They traded a small nod and the tension went out of them. Glimmer chuckled.</p><p>“Bow talked to you, didn’t he?”</p><p>“Sweet boy.”</p><p>“The sweetest.”</p><p>“I’m not him, as we both know very well, and that's a good thing. You have never asked me to be, and I’d be a lousy Bow if I tried... Well, you know what I mean. I’m sure I could <i>perform</i> a good Bow if I wanted to.” Double Trouble briefly took the features of Bow and then snapped back to their own face. “But of the many things I am, ‘sweet’ is not one of them.” Glimmer’s smile grew mischievous and Double Trouble held up a hand.</p><p>“Please princess, save your salacious remarks for later. I’m sure they will go very well with the cake. But for now I’m trying to be serious, and I hope you appreciate how rare that is for me.” Glimmer composed herself and nodded.</p><p>“What I was trying to say is that I can’t be the things Adora and Bow are for you, and that is OK. You won’t always be the thing Catra was for me, and <i>that</i> is OK too. The special place the two of us have is not the same special place we have - or had - with others. And that is OK.” they sighed. “<i>Oh stars, your beauty of song and story, does not pale the moon I see at night</i>”.</p><p>“Beautiful. What is it?”</p><p>"An old poem fishermen like to tell. It’s about the story of the stars and the reality of the moon… well, now when the stars are back I suppose we will have to update a few of the old stories to better match the sky.” They looked Glimmer in the eyes.</p><p>“Glimmer, what we have is special. It is magic. It is worth having. Do not measure it by what we don’t have.”</p><p>“You make it sound very reasonable.” Double Trouble laughed.</p><p>“It is not reasonable at all - but it happens to be what I want from our relationship.” They briefly turned into Perfuma. “Communication is very important, you see.” Glimmer laughed. Double Trouble turned back and gave Glimmer a serious look.</p><p>“So tell me, Glimmer, what do you want from our relationship?”</p><p>She sat in silence for a while. Her features were bathed in the light of the moonstone and almost seemed to pulsate. Double Trouble realised with a slight feeling of unease that a lot more was going on than the passive play of light over a body. Glimmer’s skin drank in the light, and emitted a light of its own. Magic sparkled in the air. Faint traces of first one’s writing could be seen in her skin. She looked up at them.</p><p>“The bad days.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“We have fun, we play games, we have adventure and I truly cherish it. But every time we part company I don’t know when we see each other next. I don’t know what will have happened to you since the last time, next time we see each other. I don’t know...” she lowered her voice to a whisper “...if I will ever see you again.”</p><p>“Glimmer...”</p><p>“No, let me continue. Everyone has bad days, even you. I want them too. I want you to open up to me, to show me that part of your life. That special place we’re building… I want it to be complete. I want it to be built on… trust.”</p><p>“I trust you. What would you call me being here other than trust?” Glimmer hesitated.</p><p>“You are out of your comfort zone, that’s true. And I’m very proud of you for it. You being here as yourself… You interacting with the other princesses… old friends, enemies… you being nice to Frosta and Scorpia… it means alot to me. That’s you entering my world in a much more real sense than a silly game about forks. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“I’m not asking you for your secrets. I’m not asking you for childhood memories or old crimes or whatever names you might once have been known under… I ask you to let me in, to trust me as the one you are now.” </p><p>“You say ‘trust’ but what I hear is ‘dependability’.” Glimmer hesitated.</p><p>“...yes, maybe that’s what I’m saying. And I know what you think of that. I know that of all these silly rules we throw at each other there is one you are dead serious about.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“If you don’t like the game you can leave it.”</p><p>“Yes.” Glimmer sighed, she looked at the moonstone glowing behind her.</p><p>“We live very different lives. I have never had… no, sorry, I have never <i>chosen</i> to live like I had that choice. How could I? My very being is tied to this place, to this stone, to this responsibility… yes, I know, I could walk away from it. But that would always mean I <i>had</i> walked away from it. This is a part of me. Not only because of my heritage but because of my choice. I have <i>made</i> this place part of me. You… you live a day at the time. You don’t own anything, you don’t stay anywhere for long, and all your friends, acquaintances… and lovers are gone as soon as you start the next act. Maybe you will meet again down the road - maybe you won’t.”</p><p>Double Trouble said nothing.</p><p>“If you don’t like the game you can leave it. That’s true. That’s important. That’s… the difference between us and Horde Prime. But that’s not the same thing as running and hiding everytime things are not fun and games. You stay with each other through the thin as well as the thick. You learn how you work together. You identify where you clash. You work through it. You <i>communicate</i>. That’s how you grow as a couple. That’s how your relationship becomes more than a string of dates and can become… something more.” She sighed "And that’s what I want from our relationship.”</p><p>There was a long silence. Double Trouble looked truly apologetic. </p><p>“Glimmer, I can’t promise you tomorrow. I… I can’t guarantee that I’ll keep that promise.” </p><p>Glimmer let out her breath hard. She started to speak a few times but interrupted herself. Then she glanced over at the moonstone and raised her hand. With practiced motions she weaved a spell. Slowly, methodically. When she was finished, she released the illusion and her features changed to those of Double Trouble’s.</p><p>“It’s easier if people have low expectations in you than being forced to maintain high expectations. If I make a promise and break it, I would have to face the consequences. Better not to make any promise at all.”</p><p>Double Trouble watched her still like a statue, not breathing, not blinking.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Glimmer said in her normal voice, “but…” Double Trouble’s hand shot up like a snake and stopped her.</p><p>“No! Don’t you dare break character now.”</p><p>“Um… Sorry,” Glimmer went on in Double Trouble’s voice, finding their cadence and rhythm again. “Responsibility scares me, so I avoid it. Since I’m so used to not letting people see when I make mistakes I don’t know how to deal with the risk of letting people down. Surely the girl who was made queen before her twentieth birthday wouldn’t know anything about that.”</p><p>Double Trouble slowly started to chuckle.</p><p>“You truly have a flair for the dramatic, Glimmer. Well done. Well done indeed.” They took a deep breath and held Glimmer’s hands.</p><p>“I… I can’t give you what you want. No, that’s a lie. I <i>don’t want</i> to give you what you want. Sorry, Glimmer. You wanted to see my bad sides and this is one of them. Not now, at least. Some other day… who knows.”</p><p>“I thought ‘some other day’ didn’t exist?”</p><p>“So did I. Who knows, I might be wrong. You have given me a lot to think about.”</p><p>“That’s something.” Glimmer started to change back. Double Trouble held up a hand again.</p><p>“Wait!” her features snapped back to those of Double Trouble.</p><p>“There is… something I’ve always wanted to try.”</p><p>Double Trouble slowly raised their hands to Glimmer’s face and gently explored her features, now so similar to their own. They bent forward and planted a small kiss on her lips. The kiss grew deeper, more intense. Glimmer smirked with Double Troubles face.</p><p>"A surprisingly common kink?”</p><p>“I told you so. Now show me what else you can do.”</p><p>Later they ate the cake. It did indeed go well with Glimmer’s salacious remarks. It was a long time before they retreated to the royal quarters. </p><p>- - -</p><p>Breakfast with princesses was, like double Trouble put it, a show and a half. Mermista groaned over a cup of coffee. Entrapta invented scrambled eggs. Adora, for reasons best known to herself, got into a fight with the toaster and valiantly battled it to a standstill. Bow had made marmalade, because of course he had. Scorpia and Perfuma were downright intolerable, and in the end they had to be moved to their own table to keep the level of schmooziness to acceptable levels.</p><p>Glimmer herself had the vacant look people who are decidedly not morning people have when they are forced to socialize with a sugared up Frosta early in the morning. Double Trouble gallantly placed a cup of coffee in front of her. She watched it non-plussed and tried to figure out what it was until an equally not-morning-person-Catra snatched it up and downed it with a grunt. Double Trouble rolled their eyes and gave Glimmer the second cup they had prepared.</p><p>It took some while, but eventually Glimmer’s brain woke up enough to deal with the chaos, and Double Trouble put their hand on Glimmer’s arm and followed them down the corridors of the castle.</p><p>“I think it’s high time for me to leave for the time being, my queen.”</p><p>“Yes. There is only one more thing.” She led them down a small staircase through a gallery and stopped outside a door Double Trouble knew. They raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“I thought you said I couldn’t have Flutterina’s old room.”</p><p>“I changed my mind.” Glimmer was uncharacteristically fidgety. Almost nervous. They entered the room. Glimmer stopped by the door.</p><p>By Bright Moon standards it was downright spartan - only two wardrobes, one arm chair, three crystal statues, too many cushions and - of course - an ornamental waterfall. There were also a lot of empty chests, boxes and shelves. The room looked empty, unlived in.</p><p>“Well, what’s this?” Double Trouble asked. Glimmer said nothing. With a quizzical look at her, they opened the wardrobe. It was empty, except for a dress. It was child-sized. Pink with yellow brim. It was torn and a bit dirty. Double Trouble stood in silence for a while and then closed the wardrobe agan. </p><p>They walked over to the shelves and looked more closely. They were mostly empty, but an old trackpad was on display. Double Trouble recognized it as the one they used as they and Glimmer coordinated taking down the Horde. They eyed it in silence. A chest turned out to contain a rusty old strongbox. A burnt torch. A drawer with a handful of coins of the sort used in the Crimson Waste.</p><p>Double Trouble gave Glimmer a long look.</p><p>"I'm not moving in with you."</p><p>"I'm not asking you to."</p><p>"Then what's this?"</p><p>"Options. Somewhere to come back to. Somewhere to store trinkets and loots. Somewhere... somewhere you might one day want to..."</p><p>“One day?”</p><p>“Where you <i>some day</i> might want to… explore new possibilities.”</p><p>"And if I don't want to?"</p><p>"The room is here. Do with it as you please. Or not. You do as you will."</p><p>“Yes, I do.”</p><p>Glimmer sighed.</p><p>“I know you want to keep doing what we are doing. So do I. It’s fun. I’m just saying that you are always welcome here.”</p><p>"And you, Glimmer, are always welcome to come with me."</p><p>"I know. I will. Some day. Some other day..."</p><p>“Some other day you won’t. That is OK.”</p><p>"So that's what we are, then? A ’some day’?"</p><p>"What else could we be? What else would we <i>want</i> to be?"</p><p>"And if that is not enough?"</p><p>"We can always…”</p><p>“Yeah, I get it. We can always leave."</p><p>They traded smiles. A bit subdued, a bit resigned, but smiles nevertheless. Double Trouble bent forward and gave Glimmer a chaste kiss on the cheek.</p><p>"Find me on the road, my queen."</p><p>"You bet your fine, green ass I will."</p><p>"This is not goodbye."</p><p>"It'd better not be."</p><p>Double Touble walked down the corridor and, as they passed through the door, they changed face. Glimmer did not watch to see what they looked like. That didn't matter. She would find them again, some day.</p><p>They would not have tomorrow, but they would always have today. Honestly, that's not so bad.</p><p>Aaaaaaaand scene.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fine. One curtain call.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was not so much a town as a collection of sheds where two mine paths met. Still that was enough for some enterprising soul to put a few boxes next to a few barrels, put a pot of stew on a fire and call it a restaurant. And right now it was dinner with a show.</p><p>A few planks made a decent stage. A few old bags even made a decent curtain. Shame that the young man on the stage was anything but a decent actor. He flubbed his lines, overplayed his delivery and in general made such a mess of what in theory was a pretty trite one-person version of an old play that people couldn’t help laugh at it. There was something in his earnest failure that made him compelling to watch.</p><p>“Thank you, thank you,” he said as the audience roared with laughter over his utter failure to deliver what in theory was supposed to be a dramatic speech. “Next, I will give you…” he fell silent and watched as the piece of cloth that served as the door moved aside and a woman, pretty and pink and completely out of place in a place like this, entered and sat down on a barrel. She watched the stage with an eager smile, and the young man met her gaze and answered in kind.</p><p>“Next, I will give you something truly magical.”</p>
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